The fragrance of the orange blossoms
by Twinkinderbueno
Summary: AU - feudal Japan. In a world ruled by a tyrant and a corrupted government, a revolution is rising, led by the undefeated samurais. In this debauched world, two children made a promise of a future together, but fate decided otherwise. Amidst fierce battles, slaughters and demons, can love bloom? What is the price to pay for restoring peace? A (mythical) dark!fic, LuNa.
1. Prologue: An everlasting promise

**Note** : Okay the idea has been stuck in my head for a very long time and I truly wanted to write it down... I really should stop with my dark themed stories. I should, but I can't! xD I'm sorry in advance for my poor english! (the perks of being french I guess x)

In ancient China, orange blossoms symbolized purity, chastity, innocence and were placed on the gowns of young brides. I know Nami's fruit is the tangerine, but please...Let's pretend and switch it with an orange instead :3

**AU**: Takes place in the Edo period or Tokugawa period (feudal Japan).

**Rated M for mature contents. (Violence, cursing, torture and future lemons) **

**Pairings**: LuNa, slight ZoRo and maybe others.

**Disclaimers**: One Piece belongs to Odachi!

Let's go on a journey together! :)

**The fragrance of the orange blossoms**

_Prologue_: _An everlasting promise_

Somewhere in a small village called Fushia, a young seven year old boy wearing a red yukata, flip-flops and a straw-hat was running enthusiastically as fast as his little legs could, smiling brightly. The spring breeze was blowing softly on his back and the sakura blossoms' petals were falling down gracefully around him.

His smile stretched from ear to ear the moment he reached the top of a hill with a huge sakura tree; his onyx eyes saw a girl slightly older than him with an orange yukata, a wild strand of her hair of the same color was fluttering in the air and she was sitting on the grass, a basket filled with oranges on her side. She turned around and flashed him a wide grin, "Luffy!" She exclaimed cheerfully as she waved at him.

"Hey Nami!" He replied waving back at her, "Sorry I'm late shishishi! I managed to escape scary jii-chan somehow!" He laughed as he plopped down next to her, unable to contain the joy to see her, for he had to train with his jii-chan and she had to help her mother with their orange orchards; they'd meet here at their secret place, only after all their chores and occupations done.

She huffed, "Moh, your samurai training is so strict..."

He seemed to freeze for awhile, then he snickered awkwardly, "Er...About that–" He began, but he stopped short as he spotted a small bruise on her cheek, "What's this?" He pointed at it and frowned deeply.

Nami scratched the back of her head, "I got in a fight...Some boys told me that Bellemère's oranges tasted bad and one of them punched me earlier, but it's nothing, it's not red anymore or anything–"

Luffy suddenly cut her off as he got up, "Tell me who! I'm going to kick some asses!" He growled as he bared his fangs. "No one can punch you without regretting it!"

Seeing her childhood friend in his protective mode caused her to chuckle softly as she grasped his wrist, "It's okay," She said, but his eyes still flickered to a darker shade, "Luffy, it's okay, I kicked them too." She repeated.

Half convinced, he sat back down and pouted, "Moreover it's not true, your oranges taste great!" He snapped as he puffed out his cheeks.

She grabbed one in her basket and handed it out to him, "Want one?" She asked, smiling.

He took it and beamed as he peeled off the skin then ate it slowly, for it was rare of her to give him something; she was particularly stingy and greedy with her oranges.

"What were you going to say about your training?" She inquired as she went closer to him and delicately took off a sakura petal which had fallen on his nose, "Ah, it looks like a heart." She stated as she stared at it in the palm of her tiny hand.

Whether it was what she had asked or her unexpected action made Luffy stop dead in tracks. He blinked, then after an instant of silence he replied hesitantly, "Jii-chan...Jii-chan wants Ace, Sabo and me to go and train in the mountains in order to become great samurais later..."

She furrowed her brows as her heart pulsed with fear, "Is it far away? It won't take long right? When will you come back–"

"Nami," He stopped her ramblings as he avoided her eyes, "I didn't tell you but...We're leaving the village tomorrow and we won't come back here until our training's finished."

He took several deep breaths, still looking away, "It might take years...Or we might," He swallowed with difficulty the lump in his throat, "We might not come back to Fushia at all."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she slapped him with all her might, "Why didn't you tell me that sooner?!" She shrieked painfully.

Massaging where she had hit him, he answered as he lowered his head, "I couldn't...I didn't dare to. I didn't want to see you cry."

She bit her lips as she felt the tears streaming down, "But you're my best friend! You...You should have told me! Perhaps I...I could have prepared myself or...I don't know, this is just too sudden!" She cried out as she shook her head, then asked between two sobs, "Will we ever see each other again?"

He lifted up his head to her and met her tear-glazed eyes, while his were filled with determination, "We will. Definitely." He assured with a firm voice as he took both of her hands in his.

Nami couldn't calm down and only cried harder. Luffy's brows dipped into a sad frown, then something popped up in his mind, making him squeeze her hands, "I know, let's make a promise!" He shouted with glee as his smile came back.

His friend sniffled and blinked, "Huh?"

"Do you remember Makino the bartender? One day she told me about a promise which can't be broken...It's a promise of spending the rest of our lives together...She called it 'Marriage'." He grinned widely, "Without doubts, I'll come to see you when I'll be a samurai, so...Let's promise to marry each other!" He elaborated merrily. "Like that, we vow that we'll always be together in the future!"

Nami blinked away the tears and chuckled a bit as she saw him release one of her hand then show to her his pinkie finger, "...It's a pinkie promise?" He questioned candidly.

She inhaled deeply before giving him the most beautiful smile she could and intertwined her pinkie with his, "It's a pinkie promise!"

* * *

I like short prologue, I'm sorry xD! And it starts cutely but...it won't last, tee hee~


	2. Chapter 1: Separations are painful

**Note** : ...I'm so touched guys for the support! o_o (I always thought my stories were unnoticeable...) Wah, I'm still always super exited when someone takes time to drop a review...Guess I'll always be a rookie X).

I like cute stories. Man, I love them; but I can't write them myself...Because I think I suck at this and I prefer dark themes...Oh Oda, I shouldn't have started this story with a cute beginning. I'm so sorry. **IT'S A DARK FIC GUYS**.

"_It's been fun but now I got to go,_

_Life's way too short to take it slow,_

_but before I go and hit the road,_

_I gotta know 'til then,_

_when can we do this again?_

_When can I see you again?" _

_(When can I see you again – Owl City)_

Chapter 1: Separations are painful

A long time ago, the powerful emperor named Gol D. Roger and his concubine Portgas D. Rouge were reigning over the country with wisdom and rectitude. The population loved them and they were respected even outside Japan, for the royal army was composed of the strongest samurais of the toughest clans. During this period, Japan was prosperous and peaceful.

Until the corruptible government filled with people thirsting for power turned against the emperor and betrayed him; the royal family was murdered mysteriously. Without any legacy, a new and cruel emperor (tyrant) rose with his own government, called Marshall D. Teach. He changed all the laws and dismissed (assassinated) the previous army...He created a climate of fear and dread, anyone who would be on his way would be beheaded or killed horrendously. The process of decadence started.

A few rumors were spread about Gol D. Roger's heir, but they never were proved.

The samurai clans left which stayed faithful to their true (yet, deceased) emperor were counting on their next generation of warriors; they schemed in the shadows to bring down the debauched government; a declaration of war was silently made. The revolution was on its way...

The Monkey D. clan was one of them.

* * *

Three little boys were spending their free time in their secret base, a tree-house of which the access was only reserved to the strongest warriors; they had learned since they were toddlers the values of a veritable samurai; honor, dignity and pride were the ideals...So of course, the stupid sissy girls with their cooties were forbidden here.

Tonight, to celebrate their departure, they had stolen a bottle of sake from Makino's bar and meat buns; for once, jii-chan wasn't on their backs, they would gladly enjoy their rare moment of freedom.

"Ne guys, how do you call two married people?" Asked innocently Luffy as he grinned sheepishly; completely out of the blue.

A boy with ebony hair and freckles, wearing a black yukata spit out out half of the sake he was drinking as a small blush crept on his cheeks, "What the," He coughed hard, "What the heck Lu'?!"

The other next to him in a dark blue yukata with dirty blond hair and a missing tooth let his meat bun fall on the flooring as his jaw dropped, "W-What are you saying?" He questioned incredulously as his face flared red.

Luffy stared with his owlish eyes at his two adoptive older brothers' strange reactions and tilted his head sideways, "Did I say something wrong?"

_'Yeah you did, you baka!'_ Both screamed inwardly.

Ace cleared his throat, still very surprised by Luffy's unexpected question, "W-well, the man is the 'husband' and the woman is the 'wife'...Wait. Why would _you_ ask _that_?"

"Because Nami and I promised to marry each other!" Replied cheerfully the idiot with a wide and sunny grin.

There was a shocked silence for awhile, only the sound of the wind blowing softly could be heard; then suddenly they burst into loud laughter.

"Nami? You can't be serious!" Snickered Ace as he rolled on the flooring.

"Oh my Oda, really?!" Guffawed the other.

"I bet you don't even know what love is!"

A scoff, "Because _you_ do? Don't make me laugh–"

"Urusei Sabo!"

Luffy huffed and puffed out his cheeks as he looked away, "Why are you laughing? It's true!" He declared, slightly offended.

The light seriousness in his voice caused the two to stop laughing.

"Y-You know what 'marriage' means at least...?" Stuttered Sabo, agape.

"'Course I do! It's when two people vow to stay together forever! And I wanna be with Nami!" Proclaimed candidly the little brother.

Both of them sweat-dropped. _'Huh...Yeah...Sorta...'_

Ace asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice, "So...You wanna be with her forever?" Luffy nodded as he smiled, "...But why?" He smirked unconsciously.

Luffy placed a finger on his forehead and shut his eyes in a pensive manner as his face turned red, for making the small gears of his mind work was difficult, "Well...Nami's not like the other girls...She doesn't have cooties, she kicks asses, she's fun, her orange hair looks cool and...And her smile's prettier than Makino's!...I feel...I feel like she's special to me!"

Sabo chuckled, "You like her a lot, don't you?" It wasn't really a question from the blonde, but a statement...Perhaps Luffy did know what love was after all...

"Aa, I do!" Came promptly the answer without hesitation.

Sabo and Ace exchanged a knowing glance and grin, "Lu', let's talk about the birds and the bees!"

The raven-haired boy blinked, "Why do you wanna talk about animals?"

They face-palmed, man, explaining something to Luffy wasn't an easy task.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, at Bellemère's house...**_

"Why are you smiling like that Nami?" Asked a woman with a red-purple mohawk and a grayish yukata as she sewed a piece of cloth, raising an eyebrow.

"Luffy and I will marry!" She replied, the silly grin never leaving her features.

"What?!" Exclaimed in unison her mother and her big sister in a turquoise yukata with blue hair who swallowed her orange segment the wrong way and choked.

"What are you doing with that scrawny brat exactly?!"

"We play hide and seek, pirate games, we fish, we go on adventures–"

She cut her off, "That's not what I meant, what's up with this marriage idea?"

Nojiko snickered softly, "I'm sure she doesn't know what it means."

The orange-haired girl pouted, "Yes I do! He explained it to me! We made a promise to be together in the future because," She lowered her head, "because he's leaving tomorrow early in the morning and we won't see each other for a long time..." She said the last part quietly.

Bellemère's face softened... Ah, her daughter seemed to be very attached to her soon-to-be samurai...It was an innocent vow...Though she wondered what would happen if they kept their promise as adults...She chuckled as she said, "Well...You have my blessing!"

"Blessing?" Repeated Nami.

Coming closer, she ruffled her short hair and grinned, "You'll understand when you'll be older. Now, go to sleep kiddos." She ordered gently.

Later, Nojiko heard in the middle of the night her little sister crying, truly sad to have to say goodbye to her friend...She spent the whole night comforting her.

* * *

**The next day, at dawn...**

The sunrise was enlightening the horizon as Fushia village was slowly awakening, a serene atmosphere was floating around, same for the sakura petals twirling heavenwards.

Luffy, Sabo and Ace had said goodbye to Makino and other villagers, although they had woken up many of them. They weren't angry though, for they all loved these youngsters. They were a little sad but the children were old enough to leave their cozy household, it was their duty and everyone knew it, accepted it. The Monkey D. clan's reputation and influence used to be one of the greatest of the country, it was normal for their children to have a spartan education.

Right now, the straw-hatted boy was fidgeting with a red cosmos (1) in his hand, (his brothers had sooo teased him for that) waiting for _her _at the edge of the village. She had told him she would be there to bid him goodbye and he wouldn't budge until she did so, despite jii-chan's foot tapping the ground impatiently and ready to deliver him a fist of love any time.

She did come and when he saw her running towards him with her bright grin of hers, with her lustrous orange hair and her pretty burgundy eyes...Well he grinned in a very silly way as his heartbeat quickened.

He didn't get to react that she had already jumped on him and hugged him tight. "Luffy!" She exclaimed cheerfully. She had cried last night, she had to hold back the tears now...At least, in front of him...She didn't want to make him sad before they would part.

"N-Nami," He murmured quietly, feeling his belly flutter as he inhaled her so particular orange fragrance.

None of them wanted to say "goodbye"...

"Hurry up Luffy!" Said Garp who couldn't help but grin a little at the sight...But they were on their way now, they had to go. As for Ace and Sabo, they glared at him and snarled, "Urusei ossan!" then smirked knowingly and snickered at the couple before their eyes.

She backed off a bit to see his flustered face, "I'm going to miss you..."

His features softened, "Me too." then he brought up his flower and tucked it behind her ear gingerly, "It's a little present, my favorite flower...I thought it'd fit you, it does!" He gave her a warm smile.

"Thanks...I really like it..." She whispered, touched by the delicate action. A pink of hue appeared on her cheeks as she suddenly cupped his face, "You'll take care of you huh?" And leaned forwards to kiss him on his forehead, "Here, it's a protection charm, your training is always so brutal..." She had always been a worrywart and her best friend was well known for his carelessness...

Garp broke their moment with a loud and long, "LUFFY!"

Overwhelmed by her touch, said person pressed his hat onto his head to hide his light blush, "I have to go now, but don't forget our promise! You'll definitely marry me later!" He said very quickly, before giving her a peck of her cheek and jogging to his family. "It's only a goodbye!" Meaning, _"It's not a sayonara."_

Placing a hand on her cheek, she fought back the forming tears and shouted, "Hun! It's only a goodbye!" then, once he was out of sight, she finally let some tears escape, she'd miss him so much...

As they walked away, Luffy tried hard to not look back and suppressed the urge to return to her and force her to go with him...Because it kinda hurt. A lot.

* * *

_**A few months later...**_

Fushia village was surrounded by bandits. Without the protection of the head of the Monkey D. clan namely Garp, they were totally weak. In this world, you ate or you were eaten. The villagers were deeply frightened, for they had heard rumors about little girls being kidnapped and never seen again...

Nami had dared to ask why to her mother and what she had honestly replied to her was horrible...The villagers tried to hide them, some even fought back but to no avail; it only ended up with a bloodshed and corpses everywhere, those people were worse than butchers.

"I need young flesh! Shashasha!" Laughed sinisterly the leader of the rascals, a tall and muscular man with a saw-shaped nose.

Like a lioness protecting her cubs, Bellemère had unsheathed her katana and countered back, for there was no way this tragedy would happen to her daughters or any other girls here. "Leave this village now." She warned with a spiteful voice.

Howbeit...The man didn't know mercy. "What an eyesore." He glanced at his comrade on his left, "Kill her." The lackey obeyed and in a swift movement, he had caught her katana with his bare hand as if causing it to bleed didn't matter, while his own sword was caressing her throat.

Time seemed to slow down for Nami and Nojiko as they watched, completely wide-eyed with their pupils shrinking their mother's neck getting sliced and then...Her head rolling on the ground. Half of Nami's face was splashed on by the gush of Bellemère's blood.

Nobody got to blink that she already was dead.

She gaped for awhile, unable to understand...This day had started so well...They had delivered their oranges to one of their clients this morning, she had been caught by Genzo trying to steal parchments for her passion for calligraphy...And then, those men killing everyone in order to abduct the young girls.

This man beheading her mother.

"AHHHHHHH!" She shrieked, horrified while tears were forming in her eyes, her sister mimicking her reaction.

Genzo, the man who they considered as their father interjected and got slashed by one of them then fell on the ground in a puddle of hemoglobin.

"I need new dolls, give 'em to me." Ordered the leader with a glacial voice.

Nami who was trembling terribly looked at all the other girls terrified by the sudden change of their fates...She was more than broken by Bellemère's death but...She just had taught her...Self-sacrifice. The sheer willpower to save the others at any cost.

Her tears wouldn't cease to stream down and her heart had just shattered, however she stepped up. "T...Take me." She cried out.

The man blinked, and then cocked an eyebrow, "What?"

"T-take me only," She sniffled hard, "I'm worth all those girls," Her quivery voice tried to sound cocky, proud even, "I'll earn more money than they ever will." She swallowed hard, the bravery rushing in her veins was making her sell her soul to the devil, "I'm beautiful, ain't I?"

She ignored her sister and the villagers screaming to her to shut the fuck up in the background.

Taken aback, the monster's eyes studied her. She had orange hair which was a rare shade, a creamy white skin (though tainted by the scarlet red liquid) and big round eyes...And also, she had guts, for a kid. Then, he scrutinized the others and to his dismay, they were nothing in comparison..."Deal." He said, slightly interested.

When some of his comrades caught Nami by the arms and dragged her away, she didn't try to struggle, she only shut firmly her eyes and bit forcefully her lips.

"NAMI!" Shrieked everyone, knowing that if they let them escape, they would never see her again.

The leader came close to her ear and said scornfully, "You're not Nami anymore. You'll choose any name you want, I don't give a shit but you're dead to them. You'll never come back here. If you try, I'll kill all of them. If you don't bring in money, I'll kill them too."

She nodded and she whispered with a pained voice, "Sayonara."

* * *

(1) It's actually Luffy's flower. His seiyuu said it. That's why I like to use it in my stories XD. (Nami's is a sunflower)

If you think it's an Arlong Arc-ish fic, not really. (Well, _it is_ Arlong, but...It's much more horrible. :D...I'm evil.)

I'm sorry, it's not a fluffy fic...Though, **there'll be flashbacks about their memories as children :3**

Ready for the time skip?


	3. Chapter 2: Twelve years later

**Note** : You know guys, it's a dark fic, but this one **does have funny and romantic moments**. My biggest flaw in writing is that I **love** to mix up the genres... My stories work with thematic:

here, it's **freedom, war and promises...**

Your reviews are so awesome! :D

I'm vaguely basing this story upon a few historical facts (Didn't make up clothes, doctrines, weapons and such), so it might seem a bit boring **BUT** I added a lot of fantasy. (think of **GINTAMA** xD)

**Read the note at the end please!**

Chapter 2: Twelve years later

In the ancient Japanese folklore there was an old legend which said that if you underwent an extremely emotional state causing your soul to get tainted by the darkness and if a murderous aura engulfed then crushed it, your inner yōkai (=demon) would awaken and lend you his powers as his blood would blend with yours to achieve your diabolical plans in exchange for losing a part of your humanity...It was a _curse._

Those who were stray and wandering were called "Yokaiko (=Demon Child)". Holy Water was their weakness, for they would never be able to wash away their vices.

If you let the yōkai inside you take over your soul, you'd transform into a true and heartless monster, nothing human would be left in you.

In these times where hemoglobin was pouring down heavier than rain, many souls 'unlocked' their yōkai powers.

How to undo the curse was still a mystery.

* * *

The air was warm, the cicadas were singing and the cloudless sky was a vivid blue; it was a serene heat hazed summer day. Three men with weapons were walking side by side on a beaten track.

One of them had green hair and was wearing a dark green kimono with a haramaki (_his_ trademark cloth) underneath. He had also a red uwa-obi (belt/sash) with three katanas tied on it and sandals with black tobi (socks separating the toes). He looked calm and mature...And definitely irradiated fuck off vibes which could kill; His scar on his eye was tough, only his three golden earrings were a contrast with his serious looks.

At his left, the second man was blond and half of his face was covered by his hair. He had a white and marine blue hakama (a kimono with wide, ample trousers) with blue of the same shade kyahan (cloth leggings) protecting his legs, white tobi and toga (wooden clogs). In his pocket was hidden a tantō (dagger). He was holding an elegant kiseru (long smoking pipe) and was taking a puff every now and then. Oh, and also, anybody making fun of his curly brow would get his ass kicked. (Unless if it was a pretty girl.)

Last but not least, between them was walking merrily a slim, yet muscular man with a slightly tanned skin and an old straw-hat set on top of his wild and messy raven hair. His outfit was probably the fanciest (though he didn't care about it); a maroon red hitatare (a two-piece costume with hakama and flowing long sleeves) with white undergarments (kosode) and a white uwa-obi, his wakizashi (short sword) was thrust into it and he also had sandals. In spite of his goofy grin and stupid antics, he was the leader of their small group.

Behind them, there was a black horse carrying a lot of provisions and supplies following them.

Grinning widely, Luffy was singing, "The islands in the south are warm~"

"Paina-purupuru, their heads get really hot~"

"And they're all idiots~!"

The green-haired whacked the back of his head, "Urusei Luffy! Seriously, aren't you tired of singing this...AGAIN AND AGAIN?!"

Puffing out his pipe, the blonde added with a grunt, "For once, I agree with the marimo. Why are you so excited about this mission? We're just bringing some provisions to small villages, it's annoying."

The straw-hat bearer pouted, "C'mon Zoro and Sanji, an adventure's an adventure!"

They sweat-dropped at his childish behavior...Although they should be used to it now...It was hard to believe that this carefree boy was a yokaiko.

Sanji rolled his eyes and then took a melodramatic pose, "If only there were beautiful women with us...This mission wouldn't be so horrible!"

"Women?" Repeated the others, lifting an eyebrow.

His smoke was forming hearts,"Fabulous nymphs whose beauty outshine the sun! Ones who are worth fighting for and for whom you'd gladly go to war!" Then he blinked and looked at them with a bored expression, "Of course I don't expect you to understand what I mean, you're all asexual." He grumbled.

"What?! You wanna fight swirly–"

"I know one." Said bluntly Luffy.

His friends turned to him with a shocked look.

"_You_? The shitty leader who never showed any interest in women?" The blonde could barely restrain his laugh.

"I thought you only cared about meat." Added Zoro.

Luffy huffed, "Yeah me!"

"Then who's she? Tell us more about her." Inquired Sanji, still not buying it.

Luffy's grin grew softer, "Her name's Nami. She's my best friend! Her birthday was last week...So she's twenty now. She's very cool, she's smart, she has magical weather powers, she can predict when it'll rain or not! Also...She's kinda pretty."

Zoro scoffed at the last part.

"How did you meet?" Asked Sanji, curious about her...And also because talking about pretty women was always a great topic of conversation.

The raven-haired paused, then took off his hat with a gentle smile.

* * *

_*Flashback, twelve years ago...*_

"_My hat! My hat! MY HAT!" Shrieked Luffy as he chased after his hat being blown by the wind._

_He kept sprinting after his floating treasure until he arrived at the top of a hill where stood a huge sakura tree and was deeply relieved when a little hand caught it for him._

"_Got it!" Exclaimed a girl with short orange hair before handing it out to him._

_Panting heavily, he reached out for it, "Thank you a lot..." then he blinked as he set it on his head. He had never talked to this girl before...Though he did recognize her, she was the daughter of the woman selling oranges. He had noticed her but never did he approach her, for he had never gotten the occasion to._

"_Never mind!" She chuckled, "Such a cool hat...You shouldn't lose it, Luffy-dono."_

_He flashed her his trademark grin,"Yes my hat's awesome! Shanks gave it to me–Wait, how do you know my name?"_

_She laughed softly, "Everyone knows you in Fushia, you're Luffy, the heir of the Monkey D. clan." She paused as her eyes widened, "Eh? Shanks...You mean, Shanks Akagami...One of the four Daimyōs?"_

_The Daimyōs were the four strongest samurais who earned the title of 'lords' and ruled vast territories with a powerful influence. However, when one of them became the next emperor, the others went 'missing'._

_Luffy's grin grew wider, "Yes! He's famous huh? He's the man I look up to!" He exclaimed as he lifted up his chin a little._

_Taken aback, she whispered,"Woah...That's amazing Luffy-dono."_

_He scratched the back of his head nervously, "Don't call me 'dono'..." Then he glanced at some parchments on the grass, "Hm? What's this?"_

"_My dream!" She gave him a warm smile._

_They sat down and began to chat about their dreams, their daily chores were quickly forgotten and time passed in the blink of an eye. He found her interesting and fun, she wasn't boring like girls were usually._

_Howbeit, he had to go back to the household when Ace came to get him with a big frown on his face. Before leaving, she told him, "You know, you should get a string for your hat, like that, you wouldn't lose it anymore..." Then she looked away and murmured gently, "I could sew it for you."_

"_You could?! That'd be super, you're really nice! Oh, I forgot to ask, what's your name?"_

"_It's Nami."_

* * *

"She seems to be a nice girl," Stated Sanji with a smile, then realization struck him, "Wait, Fushia...Isn't it the next village we're heading to?"

"She is! And soon we'll be married! Shishishi, yes! That's why I'm so happy!" He proclaimed with glee.

Truth was, Luffy was overjoyed today, for their mission was almost finished (they had traveled for a week already and he usually disliked this kind of mission, no battles or fights...It sucked.) and he learned that their last destination was_ Fushia_. He shouldn't have gone back there until peace was reestablished in Japan...It was a golden occasion to see her, even for a bit.

The main reason why he left his village wasn't only to become stronger (he had finished his training since a few weeks) but also to hide from the emperor's underlings who were ordered to pursue and kill every person against him. The war hadn't been officially declared though, for twelve years it had been a cold war going on but now only a small spark would build up a fire...

Times were hard for everyone and Luffy wanted to reunite with all his loved ones...After an incident which occurred a long time ago, he was separated from Ace and Sabo. Sabo had joined his father, Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the shinobis.

The revolutionaries were split in two; while the samurais were the muscles and the pure warriors, the shinobis were spies specialized in sabotage, assassination and infiltration, they were the brains.

For example, Ohara used to be a famous village of shinobis...Until a tragedy happened and every villager burned with their homes due to a fire of which the cause was unknown.

As for Ace, for a reason he didn't know, his big brother had been placed under the protection of the White-beard clan.

And...There was Nami. She lingered in his mind, he often wondered how she was doing, how she looked now and if she missed him as much he missed her. Moreover, he had a promise to fulfill, as a samurai (which he had truly become) or as himself, he always kept his promises.

"YOSH! Let's hurry guys!" He shouted joyfully as he caught sight of a windmill, then raced for it.

Totally dumbstruck with their jaws dropped, his two friends followed him...Hesitantly.

_'M...MARRIED..?!'_

* * *

_**Fushia village...**_

Hungry. That's what all the villagers were, for they had to give once a month half of their harvests to the emperor...But they weren't sad, due to their difficult situation, they helped each other as a big family and when Garp learned that they had been attacked once, he had sent some samurais to protect the village.

When Luffy arrived, he was greeted by a happy crowd, firstly because he was the little boy they all missed and secondly he had brought food. As he saw all those familiar faces the straw-hatted boy couldn't hold back a tear of joy...Though he pondered why the pinwheel-ossan had so many scars...

He was very surprised when Makino came to him with a cute baby sleeping in her arms...Curious, he asked who was the father and she only winked at him...He didn't really know why but he had a feeling that a certain red-haired might be responsible for this tiny angel.

...However, the person he wanted to see more than anyone else (hush, it was a secret) wasn't there. He went to her house and expected _her_ to open the door but only saw Nojiko (she had long blue hair and had become a fine woman), who looked shocked at his presence. "It's...You."

"Hello Nojiko! Long time no see!" He chuckled, "Is Nami here?"

Her face darkened, "No..."

"Oh...Then tell me where she is! Also, I wanna see Bellemère, I'd like to buy some oranges shishishi!"

She bit her lips and her eyes darted to the ground, "The others...Didn't tell you?" She asked uneasily and frowning deeply.

"Tell me what?" Questioned the samurai, never loosing his enthusiasm despite the face she was making.

Nojiko took a deep breath...Shit, his return was unexpected and knowing that her sister used to be his best friend (or more than that, Nami had told her everything about him and what he meant to her...) caused her to panic a little..."L-Let's go to Makino's bar." She stuttered.

* * *

_**Makino's bar...**_

Two very pissed samurais barged inside, fuming and fighting each other, startling or scaring the other customers.

"Shitty cabbage head, we lost Luffy because of you! You're clearly directionally challenged!" Barked Sanji, glaring.

Glowering back at him, Zoro snapped, "Urusei curly! It's not my fault if he left us behind!"

"Oi you two," Called a man with a pinwheel on his hat, "Stop screaming, you're bothering us." He ordered sternly, then his attention returned to Makino's baby in his arms, he loved kids and somehow, his pinwheel made them laugh or sleep serenely. "And you might wake up the baby."

"Hey ossan, you don't tell me what to do–" Began Sanji.

"Why did nobody tell him?!" Yelled Nojiko as she entered the bar with Luffy right behind her.

The bartender who was cleaning a glass almost let it fall on the floor.

"Ah, the shitty leader's here."

"Where have you been Luffy?"

"Tell me what! C'mon Nojiko, tell me, tell me!" Exclaimed the red samurai, slightly pissed.

Seeing that his 'daughter' was clearly feeling bad to talk about it and announce it to him...Like almost everyone else...Genzo rose his voice, "Did your grandfather explain to you what happened twelve years ago?"

Luffy tilted his head sideways, "He said you've been attacked...Why?" Garp had only told him that bandits had caused troubles, but not the consequences.

"Some died...Bellemère was killed and Nami," He swallowed hard, "Nami's been abducted."

A drop of sweat rolled over the straw-hatted boy's forehead, "Tell me...Tell me the whole story." Suddenly, his merriment vanished.

He complied and Luffy's nakamas approached cautiously, for they had heard her name and were worried for him (She was his future wife right?)...Everyone's features saddened around them. When Genzo gave the name of the culprit, Luffy clenched his fists and lowered his head.

"...Arlong is a monster...He leads an organization of human trafficking."

"Why does nobody arrest him?" Asked Zoro, disgusted.

"It's legal, the emperor (Shogun) gave him his approval..." His brows dipped into a sad frown, "Nami was taken to Raftel...Or more precisely, to Yoshiwara...And we can't do a single thing..." His voice was full of bitterness. "She sacrificed herself for us."

"Yoshiwara? What's it?" Repeated Luffy, trying to remain calm, though his trembling fists gave him away...Nami...Nami wasn't here as he thought, she wasn't happy or laughing...She was suffering...And he hadn't been there for her. One word; horror.

Sanji paled as his eyes widened, "Holy shit."

* * *

_**The capital Raftel, Yoshiwara district...**_

A shinobi wearing a black uniform, covering everything but her burgundy eyes arrived to the biggest and lavishest building, named "Arlong Park". She held a bloody kurasigama (chain-sickle) and her clothes were also tainted by the hemoglobin.

Once inside, she traversed this beautiful labyrinth and bumped into a teenager with fluffy chestnut brown hair under a big pink hat and blue eyes, in a simple brown yukata.

"Are you okay? All that blood..." He asked, worried.

"Don't worry, it's not mine Chopper." She replied austerely, shooing away the doctor.

She went directly to her room and undressed, revealing her pure white skin and long wavy orange hair, then tossed her dirty clothes on the tatami flooring. She didn't really care about it, her two servants (kamuros) whose names didn't need to be remembered, for they were only little cockroaches, would take them and wash them for her.

Behind the sliding door made of paper and wood, a voice asked coldly, "How many revolutionaries did you kill today?"

"A dozen of them." She answered on the same tone.

"Good, good. Change your clothes now, they'll arrive soon."

"Yes, master."

Her servants arrived with a pile of fancy clothes. They dressed her with several layers of magnificent and expensive kimonos, the latter was ornamented with golden embroideries and camellias patterns, then tied her brocade obi in front. Without saying anything, they also traded her muddy shoes for high platforms ones. (koma-geta)

After finishing her clothing, they did her hair; a very complex and outlandish chignon of which they added many flower hairpins. Next came her make-up, they applied white powder all over her face, a great amount of garnet red blush around her eyes, then painted her lips in red.

At the end of the transformation, she looked like a noblewoman...But she sure wasn't an ohime-sama.

The orange-haired remained expressionless during the whole process. It was a routine; during the day she'd be a shinobi hunting down revolutionaries and during the night...

She had only three orders to obey in her life; _"Kill the revolutionaries."_

And when this job was done, _"You must receive, you must satisfy."_

Her kamuros admired her, like everyone else here, for she was the "leader flower", the Oiran; meaning, the top rank of her profession...She climbed the escalation ladder fastly, due to her cleverness, her blossoming beauty but also because of her being a yokaiko which earned her the privilege to become a shinobi and her master's favorite, she could leave Arlong Park; a tiny bit of freedom.

Though she was admired, she also was hated for that.

"We finished, Oiran-sama." Said her servants.

"You can leave now."

They bowed and left quietly, always impressed by her charismatic aura.

There were many words to describe her profession, she was a glittering leader flower, a courtesan, a woman of pleasure...A prostitute.

But this woman wasn't sad or anything.

Nami...The little girl who dreamed to draw the landscapes and even the map of Japan, who realized her true feelings for her childhood friend after he left, who loved her family, disappeared a long time ago... When an ice pick pierced her brain.

"_You'll be born anew."_

She forgot her past, the feelings of love and happiness, everything that she used to be...Yet; sometimes, some tears would escape her eyes, but she wouldn't know why and she was reluctant to cry anyway...The only memory she kept was that this was her _duty_.

"Hana, you have a client." Declared her master as he entered her room, smirking.

Of course, she wasn't an unbreakable fortress, she had been deeply frightened when she had been exposed for the first time behind the bars like a Japanese doll, awaiting for clients to choose her amongst the others...

Another man appeared next to Arlong, he was a wealthy noble.

"Welcome sir, please enter." She said as she bowed gracefully.

Yes, Nami died at the age of twelve, but at least, the innocent girl wasn't in pain anymore. For eight years already, she was Hana Tachibana (1), the most beautiful and desired woman of the brothel, living in the red-light district and the shinobi with yōkai powers.

* * *

First and foremost, I'm really sorry about the long descriptions XD! I had to...I mean...I couldn't just say "Sanji has a blue and white kimono, Zoro a dark green one and Luffy a red one..."

To sum it up:

Sanji's clothes are similar to** Shinpachi's** from **Gintama**.

Zoro's...Didn't really change, consider it's the same XD

Luffy's are like** Inuyasha's**...From well, **Inuyasha** (I know his clothes are from the previous period, but hell yeah they look so cool!)

**For the vocabulary and the informations/definitions, there's a lot...I know, but it's okay, you don't have to register it totally, I'll help you throughout the whole story.**

**Shinobi** = **Ninja** (NO, it's _NOT_ Naruto, don't worry!)

Second, this chapter was made to give you a "WTF happened during twelve years?! Why there are four years missing in Nami's life?!" So it's normal if you didn't understand everything, it'll be explained later ;D

**Raftel = Tokyo **and** Yoshiwara** did exist... :)

**(1) Hana Tachibana means Mandarin orange blossoms! **Ahah, Nami's a villain instead of a damsel in distress, are you surprised? xD

**Sorry if this chapter was boring, I promise there'll be a lot of actions later!**


	4. Chapter 3: Inner demons

**Note**:...You guys never cease to amaze me...I'm always thinking that my stories are lame in comparaison with other LuNa stories xD (that pessimist), for all the support, thank you.

**You know what's cool with this story? You'll learn about the Japanese/Chinese mythology! But of course none of the characters are over powered...Without weaknesses, how can you be strong?**

Yup, twelve years later and Luffy still doesn't know what marriage means, it's the running gag of this story.

**If you want to know how I chose their yōkai, read the note at the end! Oh and time rewinds a little for Nami, because in the previous chapter her part wasn't happening at the same time than Luffy's. **

Chapter 3: Inner demons

"Holy shit."

This simple remark made the red samurai panic as his face turned somber and in the following second, he had reached out and grabbed forcefully with both hands Sanji by his collar. "Why do say that?! What's Yoshiwara?!" he uttered, feeling his throat going tight and losing his composure.

In the background, Genzo stood up then implied the few customers present and Makino, while he gave her baby back, to go somewhere else...But their faces had already saddened the moment Nami's name had been brought up, for their minds were dwelling in tragic memories they didn't want to recall.

The blonde however wasn't offended by the roughness of this abrupt action, but still wide-eyed in shock, "...It's a pleasure district, filled with brothels." he said as he deliberately avoided his gaze which seemed to darken bit by bit, a signal that he was gradually beginning to boil inside.

His voice became constrained and hard, "Explain." he ordered as his grip tightened unconsciously.

"It's a place where women sell their bodies, they're turned into sexual dolls, prostitutes–" Continued but never finished Sanji as he grew uneasier and looked up to meet Luffy's eyes. He stopped dead in tracks, because it had taken only a few seconds for the straw-hatted to understand...He knew what sex was, Ace and Sabo had explained it to him a long time ago...That fucking bastard enslaving Nami, dirtying her like that, ruining her life...

Would definitely pay and would better be ready to spit out a lot of blood.

Within his onyx eyes was burning intensely the proof of a secret vow he had made twelve years ago to himself, on the day they became best friends.

Suddenly, they changed colors to a scarlet red.

* * *

_*Flashback, twelve years ago...*_

_Luffy was annoyed, yet somehow worried. His orange-haired friend was late and hadn't arrived yet on their meeting place; it was really unusual, for she was a punctual girl and unlike him, she had no intensive training...Furthermore his break time was almost finished, jii-chan would so scold him..._

"_What's Nami doing?" He grumbled as he got up, then all of a sudden he heard a shriek not too far away, her voice, and he dashed for it straightaway._

_He immediately ceased to run as he spotted her tumbling, surrounded by young boys, her basked had fallen on the ground and her oranges were scattered all around._

"_That's for defending him, you ugly duckling!" Sneered one of them as he kicked her._

_Nami slowly stood up, before retaliating with a punch right in his face, "Don't you dare badmouth about Luffy ever again!" she hissed._

_Another interjected, "He's a lame idiot so full of himself 'cause he's the heir of the Monkey D. clan!" he screeched as he raised his fist–but unfortunately, he couldn't move it at all. "...Eh?" _

_He turned around and met Luffy's furious glare, clutching his wrist, "Don't. Touch. Her." he carefully pronounced every word._

_The boy felt a shudder crawling up on his back and before he could know it, he was on the ground, defeated and bleeding with the other bullies._

_The straw had bearer rubbed his hands, a big grin of victory plastered on his features, "And Nami's not an ugly duckling, idiots!" then he turned to her and his expression shifted to a concerned one, "Are you alright?" he asked, his smile deflating a bit._

_Nami blinked, wondering if what she had watched had been real, she had never seen him so angry before...Then she felt her cheeks heating up, he looked so cool...She replied, "Y-Yeah...But my ankle hurts a bit..."_

_He knelt down, his back facing her and two inviting arms behind him; she was about to question about it but he quickly answered for her, "I'll carry you."_

_Carrying her piggy back style, heading for her home, he inquired, "What was all that?"_

_Leaning her head on his back, she snapped, "They said bad stuff about you because they're jealous of you, I got angry and then it broke into a fight..."_

_He frowned a little, but couldn't prevent his mouth from curving upwards into a gentle smile, "I don't care what they say about me...But thanks for defending me..."_

_She chuckled softly, "I should be the one to thank you, you protected me."_

"_Of course I did!" He proclaimed firmly then he blurted out, "You're my best friend!"_

_'Nami...Whenever you need me, I'll be there for you. I'll protect you.'_

_It was a candid, yet strong promise._

"_Best friend?" She asked, surprised._

"_I consider you as my best friend...Er...You don't?"_

_Nami grinned, "I do too."_

* * *

Watching his red eyes now mirroring those of a feline, Genzo and Nojiko gasped, it gave them the creeps... Without saying anything or any warning, the raven-haired let go of Sanji and then turned around, walking towards the exit as he cracked his knuckles absentmindedly. Through bared fangs, he announced firmly, "I'm going to save Nami." his pace quickening at each steps, a dark aura oozing around him.

Swordsmanship, archery, falconry on horseback, martial arts, mantra taught by Rayleigh-ossan, he had mastered it all; he was a genius when it came to battles...But self-control and patience? He never understood that, his blood was so hot, it was almost burning. Like any yokaiko, he was a monster wearing the guise of a human who would run on the high of laughter, all the way to hell.

"W-Wait up, are you serious?! It's way too risky for you and for us!" Shouted Nojiko as she followed him outside with everyone, "Raftel is a true fortress, you can't enter it as you wish; and if you cause troubles to Arlong, he's going to make all of us pay! O-Oh Oda, what's happening to you?"

"I'll make sure he won't hurt anyone _ever again_."

His two friends exchanged a glance and a frown, "Luffy, you do realize this is where the Shogun (=the nickname of the emperor) with all his underlings is?" Said Zoro who couldn't help but smirk a little when the aura enveloping their leader became even thicker, like a dark fog.

"We'd be in deep shit if we go there, you know that? Moreover it's fucking far away." Added Sanji who sighed, but smiled at the same time...For he was exactly the same than the moss-head, both were craving for action.

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT!" Shrieked Luffy as the fog kept darkening, meanwhile the rush of adrenalin in his veins was making him succumb to his inner yōkai, gradually he was taking over him. "I PROMISE I'LL GET HER BACK!" His features contorted, his entire body grew and distorted, this curse was worse than black magic...And when the thick cloud vanished before the horrified looks of the villagers in the streets, a majestic, yet dreadful roar resounded in all Fushia.

Where was a few seconds before the red samurai with youthful features now only stood fiercely an immense white tiger; Byakko, the protective animal symbolizing courage and strength, but also...Ferocity and weapons, of which the claws were sharper than the finest katana's blade.

To say that the villagers were flabbergasted and frightened was a huge understatement.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"O-O-Oh Oda! It's a yōkai!"

"N-No, he's a yokaiko...!"

"I-I-I thought it was only a legend!"

Unable to talk in this form, Luffy swiftly bowed before dashing out of Fushia in a flash, forgetting his two nakamas on the way who grumbled before hurriedly writing a note and giving it to one of Garp's samurais, then, taking two horses and excusing themselves, they chased after him. Damn, their leader always acted out of pure impulse.

...Though they actually didn't really mind.

Nojiko and Genzo could only gawk in silence, way too dumbstruck to register what had just happened...He disappeared just as fast as he arrived here.

As they galloped on their horses, Zoro scoffed a bit, "I thought you'd like sluts, dartboard."

"I'm a gentleman; I'm like the shithead, I do _not_ tolerate it either, marimo." Snapped back the blonde.

Meanwhile, sprinting with all his might, running past fields, forests and beaten tracks, Luffy could only thought, _'Nami...How are you...? Are you...Alright? Why did jii-chan never tell me about you?!'_

_'I'm coming for you!'_

For his friends, he'd break anything in the world.

_'Nami, if you ask me to...Your captors...I'll torture them, I'll kill them all.' _

And although his heart wasn't one of a cold-blooded murderer usually, he veritably meant it.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, somewhere in a dark clearing...**_

Lurking in the bushes and in the shadows, the Oniwabanshū (=ones of the Garden; a group of onmitsus, government-employed undercover agents/detectives, the elite of the shinobis, specialized in espionage functions and sometimes used as security guards) was watching dangerously a group of samurai revolutionaries gathered around a bon fire, relaxing.

'Revolutionaries'...Everyone called them like that, but the Shogun described them as rebels; terrorists even, saying they were disturbing the peace, threatening the government with their thirst for blood. Who were the 'good' guys and the 'bad' ones? Both sides were defending their convictions.

They were studying every movement their enemies were making; ready to attack at any moment...They couldn't but sneer sinisterly because they weren't really smart, the samurais working for the shogun had a special black kimono and armor, a uniform, unlike their opponents who weren't ones to hide and deceive, they'd rather wore their honor on their clothes, meaning their colors standing out with pride.

They had collected enough information as they had listened to them; they could kill them now.

In a heartbeat, Nami had crept up behind one of them and with her chain-sickle, she slashed her prey's throat without any hesitation, the red liquid of life spreading onto her kimono and unmoved face in spite of her cruel duty. She was a programed killing machine, trained to execute the shogun's orders.

She would always murder her enemies in a one shot. Firstly because there was this sadistic side of hers which commanded her to send them all to hell; and secondly...Because like that, they didn't have the time to agonize and suffer...A paradoxical way of thinking.

"SHIT! We're ambushed!" Yelled a samurai as he stood up and scrutinized around, only to find out that the oniwanbashū had encircled them.

The orange-haired demon narrowed her dark stained orbs, "It's time to die."

In this wild world, the weaklings always died first. The importance of a human life? Nobody knew that.

An angered samurai launched himself onto her, "YOU BITCH!" he shrieked as he brought up his katana, swinging it furiously at her and scratching her black kimono.

The shinobi's eyes became close-set at those hissed words, and shocking her opponents, nine magnificent white tails suddenly appeared on her backside and ears of the same color on her head. Her yōkai was a shape-shifting fox which disposed of magical powers based upon divination and the elements (wind, earth, fire, etc...), her predominant one was thunder; although she could control the others to some slight extent.

It matched perfectly her personality similar to a vixen's; she was cunning and sly...But it was hard to tell if she was a kitsune (=good fox) or a nogitsune (=dark fox).

She made him shut up by throwing at him a ball of lightning straight to his face, electrocuting his brain and sending him six feet under.

The moment just after, everything turned into a bloodbath as if a red rain was pouring down with guts and flesh haphazardly scattered on the ground.

* * *

_**At the same time, in the mountains where was hidden the castle of Whitebeard...**_

Blood. Blood everywhere. The blood of his fallen comrades, a sickening scent mingled with gunpowder in the air. Everybody was dead around Ace, even the ossan Whitebeard, his almost foster father...But his corpse was still standing, a proof he had been a great samurai from the start to the very end, killed by one the strongest Shogun's underlings Akainu and his lackeys before his more than horrified black eyes, tears slowly building up in them as he covered his mouth with a quivery hand, trying to not step into Marco's guts next to him.

"Guys...Marco...Ossan..." He called, his voice trembling greatly as he felt very nauseous, there was a lump in his throat which kept getting bigger, causing him to suffocate.

Akainu had a yokaiko ability granted by Itsumade, the fire breathing bird...Whitebeard's castle was going down in flames, most of his friends had been burned to the core...They all died because of him; Their mission had been to protect him and so they did, until the end.

"_We must protect Ace!"_

"_The shogun can't have him!"_

"_Our lives don't matter as long as he's safe!"_

The tears were streaming down now, blurring his vision; despite the fact that he still could see the evil smirk of the killers...His samurai heart couldn't take it...Something snapped in him, his mind broke down and a murderous aura floated around him... "I'LL KILL YOU!" He screeched painfully between two sobs. He truly hated himself for having been on the sidelines while everyone else was falling...His soul shattered.

Then like a trigger mechanism, as he had a brain wave, his inner yōkai awakened, _'I, Suzaku, the vermillion bird, symbol of justice will lend you my powers.' _same for a grand fire within him...A fire which couldn't be extinguished. _Never_. He gritted his teeth then fastly pulled a katana out of his blonde friend's stomach and ran towards the fucker like a wild beast, led by a blood red spirit named revenge. "AHHHHHH!"

On his back sprouted two huge and majestic golden and red burning wings, his hands slowly turned into claws and a splendid tail of which the flamboyant feathers could compete with a peacock's appeared on his backside.

Although Itsumade was a powerful bird, Suzaku was a phoenix; the two weren't playing in the same league. Too far enraged and devastated, the ebony-haired demon swayed his sword with force, destroying all his enemies, cutting down everything on his way...Why was all the blood splashed over his face contorted in sheer anger and pain almost refreshing on his skin...? Why...Did he actually enjoy it?

There was no humanity in his actions.

Perhaps he was unable to stop the tears, but at least, he had to avenge his friends and the ossan..._NOW!_

Akainu looked veritably surprised by his sudden transformation, _'...He's a yokaiko.'_ but was quick to get a grip and dashed towards him too as he turned into his half yōkai form, a crimson half bird-like monster and half human.

He looked down at him as their blades met each other, "We don't need to fight, you only must follow me to Raftel." he said with a voice devoid of any feelings.

"LIKE HELL! DIE!" Shrieked Ace as he threw away his katana, rose a flaming fist and impaled his enemy...Akainu didn't get to blink that it went right through his chest and the maddened samurai mercilessly teared his already decaying heart out. Once in his hand, Ace crushed it totally as he watched the fucker's body falling down.

He had killed...Everybody; his friends and his enemies.

Sagging on his knees helplessly, he broke down into loud and deafening cries; inapt to turn back into a human. He cried, and cried, and cried, long sounds of anguish escaping his lips, until a friendly hand clamped over his shoulder, not caring about the flames or his monstrous form.

"Ace...You must calm down...Come with me."

* * *

_**Nighttime, with Luffy's group...**_

Zoro and Sanji had caught up with Luffy, yet they never stopped to gallop with him...Though the night had fallen and the poor exhausted horses weren't responding properly anymore...They had to stop, furthermore it took at least seven days to reach Raftel and they didn't have any provisions or water with them.

A lot of persuasiveness had been needed to make Luffy cease running; he was man of action and not a man of reason after all...

They halted at a little village called Syrupp.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, in Raftel...**_

Raftel, the unbreakable fortress protected by the Shinsengumi (=new squad), the special police force newly created due to the security which had considerably increased; the Oniwabanshū and the royal army; all these warriors and assassins working for the shogun were called 'traitors' by the revolutionaries because many of them used to be friends, under Gol D. Roger's reign. Now, they were killing each other.

Raftel, the crazy capital which never slept all night, filled with the crème de la crème of the elite social class, the richest people were here, indulging themselves to enjoy an idle life of pleasure while vowing utter submission to their charismatic Shogun, for everyone was trying to come into his good graces, everyone yearned for power. He was good to them, he tolerated slavery, murder, human trafficking and prostitution as long as they brought in money; hence Yoshiwara became really important, many wealthy men loved this very famous red-light district because of its impressive commercial area where the merchants and artisans changed frequently the fashions of the city, for its kabukis (=popular theater) but was mostly known for its prostitutes who were classed with a strict hierarchy (from a rankless prostitute to the Oiran).

It was a closed world of money, fame, frivolity and ecstasy; the opulent citizens were blissfully ignorant of what was happening outside in the real world, where people were dying due to hunger and poverty; and even if they knew about them, not a single care would be given.

In the royal castle, a shinobi of the Oniwabanshū went past her quarters which were situated in the gardens, then made her way to the seraglio where the shogun was lounging with his harem of the most beautiful women of the city. She could become one of them, but she already belonged to someone else.

"Hana Tachibana." He said, not bothering to look at her, "Do you have any news of the One Piece's whereabouts?"

"We heard a few speculations of its emplacement somewhere on the mount Fuji."

"Good. You're dismissed."

She bowed gracefully and excused herself, "Your majesty."

* * *

_**Later, inside Arlong Park...**_

As far as she could remember, Nami's world had always been red and would always be. The bars before her windows of her quarters in Arlong Park were red, same for those in front of where she was displayed as a doll, a dirty haze of red temptation surrounded constantly Yoshiwara...But also the red of her preys' blood.

One of her regular clients, Absalom, had come. Since she had become an Oiran, she had the particularity to refuse any client, but tonight, she was feeling 'lonely'. An emotion familiar to her, because she had always felt this way as strange as it seemed...Sometimes it was just stronger than another night. During those nights of lovers, she would purr and sigh in pleasure; but even with the shared warmth, she was cold. It was a false love which would only last until dawn...If she was lucky.

This life had begun eight years ago, when she had woken up in an unknown room, with no memory of whom she used to be...How scary it had been back then. But even if she suffered from 'amnesia', there was at least one memory in her mind which had always been there, comforting her...More precisely, it was the voice of an unknown woman telling her;

"_Girls have guts too! You gotta be strong!"_

Her life was 'perfect' now... She could have everything she desired, she was treated like a queen here, she sure didn't come cheap, and since she was a yokaiko, doing the dirty jobs was easy. Being a whore...Her body was overrun by invisible scars left by the stains of lust but her wounds had slowly healed with time, as she stopped believing that she was a human being. She was a puppet, a beautiful one though, her clients were always murmuring it to her.

Much to Absalom's delight, she undressed and did her job...When they were finished, he rapidly left, because his wife was waiting for him at home. She didn't get any rest though, for a deafening shriek resounded in all Arlong Park.

Her master said, "Hana, take care of it." and returned to his quarters.

She went to where the source of the scream was with her chain-sickle held behind her and with the charisma of an Oiran, she entered a room to find a drunk client abusing one of her co-workers.

"Sir, come with me." She said with a voice of a seductress. "I'm much prettier than her, we will have a good time together."

He obeyed like a trained dog and followed her. The orange-haired beauty closed the door right behind them, for the victim was still very shaken inside, then they walked away.

The flowers who weren't busy had gathered together and began to trash-talk about her, for they had heard her boasting. (Though they didn't see anything).

"She's so full of herself because she's the Oiran."

"She has no friends here."

"I hope she'll die due to syphilis like the previous Oiran."

However, the leader flower payed no attention to them.

When they entered her quarters, the man didn't expect to have his throat suddenly caressed by a blade, "If you abuse of one us like that again, I'll cut those filthy balls of yours...You won't be able to use them again," She menaced, "...Or should I gouge your eyes out? Hurt one of us again and you'll meet your doom."

She hadn't wanted to make a scene back in this low ranked prostitute's room, for the girl was already crying her heart out and the other women couldn't see her like that; in this world of flowers and lies, pride was one of the most important things.

Wetting his kimono, the man rushed to the exit, regretting deeply to have tried to enter this place for free and trespassing the laws protecting the prostitutes.

Behind the sliding door opened enough to let him see, a little doctor named Chopper stared at her in admiration somehow...He knew she wasn't a bad person deep inside, she had rescued him when she brought him back here with her. She gave him a roof to live under, food, a job, although no one had wanted to touch him when he had arrived.

And even if she never said it, they were close together...He was her devoted friend.

Then, the night passed 'serenely'.

* * *

"_W-Where am I...? W-Who am I...?" Sobbed Nami as she looked around, frightened to no end and shaking terribly._

_Arlong smirked, "Ah, Hogback, it really worked!"_

_The doctor's attention shifted to him, "Of course, who do you think I am?"_

"_Shashasha, right!" Then he glanced at the man whining in a corner and frowned, "Oi Hachi, quit your bitching, seriously!"As he heard small throaty noises coming from the scared little girl's mouth, he deigned to reply to her, "You're Hana Tachibana. Your family was killed by the revolutionaries and I saved you. Now, your entire existence belongs to me." his lies changed her whole life. "You've got a brain concussion, therefore you don't remember anything."_

* * *

_**Morning...**_

Nami rubbed her eyes as she sat up in her futon, wearing a simple pure-white kimono...Ah, she dreamed of her 'birth' again...While stretching out her arms with the grace of a feline, she heard someone knocking on the door, "Enter." she ordered with a placid voice, a small smile lighting her face up.

Chopper entered with a tray filled with diverse dishes and fruits, "Hello Hana! I hope you're hungry!" he exclaimed joyfully.

Because she was hated by almost everyone here, she knew that, she preferred to eat in her quarters and this little guy always wanted to eat with her. She couldn't blame her co-workers, she wasn't getting along with them–no, she couldn't understand them. They dreamed of the day a prince would come to buy them and take them away of this hellish place...Not her.

This was her one and only home. Moreover, she was bringing in a lot of money, her master wouldn't let go of her; thanks to her he didn't have to pay any taxes because she was part of the Oniwabanshū.

"Hello Chopper. Hmm, I guess so!" She replied as she grabbed an orange, for some reasons she really liked this fruit, the sweet citrus flavor was somehow warming up her ice-cold heart.

They started to chat together and a grin spread on her features unconsciously; but disappeared when she realized she was late and had another mission today...She returned to her usual emotionless state, she had work to do.

Besides, she truly hated these assholes of revolutionaries.

* * *

Too much blood in this chapter! So yeah, most of you must be "wtf?!" again...And yes, it was the same day going on...Sorry if it's boring again...

**Why is Luffy Byakko? **

-Reason number one: A tiger's badass. No, seriously; at first I thought of using Son Goku the monkey king, but it's not Dragon Ball...A demon dog's too much like Inuyasha and a demon wolf's too stereotypical. I've seen a lot of stories where Luffy is a wolf. I like original stories better!

-Reason number two: A tiger fits his personality; he's daring, loving life, the ultimate optimistic, impulsive, dynamic, logic doesn't apply to him, he's overpossessive, at his best he's warm and sympathetic, at his worse he's unreasonable and selfish...And he's actually getting along with a monkey.

-Reason number three: Byakko is linked with Suzaku, they're part of the four symbols of the Chinese constellations. I wanted the D. brothers to be linked with something else than the will of D.

**Why is Ace Suzaku?**

_-_It's a phoenix with fire powers...It fits him completely.

No more reason xD!

**Why is Nami a kitsune/nogitsune?**

-Reason number one: Luffy's a white feline, Nami's a white canine, they're enemies, opposites. It's a white beast versus another white beast xD

-Reason number two: A vixen fits her personality and the good question is, is she a kitsune or a nogitsune?

-Reason number three: Kitsune's powers fit her, they're not god-like but pretty useful for a shinobi. (She's not a kyuubi, it's not Naruto!)

**Their powers work like the Zoan fruits, but of course there's not only demon beast in this story!**

**Yup, there's a One Piece...Which is not on Raftel...(ahahah!)**


	5. Chapter 4: Revenge syndrome

**Note:** Dear followers/reviewers/readers, I'm sorry to have worried you, but I won't give up! :)

**Important note /!\ I've made two modifications about the curse:**

**-Rather than say 'yokaiko ability' I'll say 'yōkai powers'.**

**-All the cursed ones have yōkai blood mixed with theirs in their veins.**

**It actually doesn't change anything, the curse is still the same. (It's just the term which is more appropriate.) [I'm sorry I know it's annoying when the writer suddenly changes something]**

**The important definitions:**

**-yōkais:** Term regrouping all the monsters (demons, divinities, powerful beings, gods, spirits) of the ancient Japanese lore. They're very present in the feudal Japan.

**-yokaikos:** Or demon children; humans whose **(inner) yōkai** awakened and lent/shared to them their powers and blood; hence they obtained **yōkai powers**. (**But** they're still humans and their powers are **incomplete** unless they turn into 100% yōkais. **The more they lose their humanity, the greater their powers are.**) Holy water is their ultimate weakness, it'll be explained later...

**-Oniwabanshū: **Or ones of the Garden; a group composed of the elite of shinobis(=onmitsus) working for the Shogun (=the emperor).

**-Daimyōs: **The four strongest samurais who earned the title of 'lords' and used to rule vast territories under Gol D. Roger's reign. (In truth, there were many Daimyōs back then, but I changed that... :)

Oh, and **Ace's theme is Rising by the Yoshida brothers**. An awesome mix between traditional and modern music. (You should play it when you read, it gives you _the feels_ of this chapter ;)

Chapter 4: Revenge syndrome

The burned out flesh blended with the repulsive stench of the stagnant black smoke in the air, causing his nostrils to burn as he breathed in the scent of death; dark ashes twirled around him while the murderous flames encircling the battlefield–the cemetery of samurais gradually faded out.

On his knees, hiding with two red-stained claws his ashamed crying face, Portgas D. Ace was breaking down, surrounded by the corpses of his friends. His body was distorted monstrously, covered with bright golden and red feathers, a complete contrast with the gaunt state he was in right now. His majestic blazing wings were folded up near to him, as if he wanted to use them as a shelter...But he was trapped in a prison of his torment.

Behind him, a man with red hair clad in a white kimono made his way towards him, his eyes filled with remorse._ 'We didn't get here on time...'_

"Ace...You must calm down...Come with me." He said, his voice trying to be reassuring as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

He sucked in his breath sharply, startled, and then took a peek over his shoulder through the cracks of his talons. What was Luffy's idol doing here? And his clan was taking care of all the fallen warriors in the background...

"I can't..." He cracked down, "They died because of me...Everyone," he sobbed as he bit his bottom lip too hard, making it bleed, "Because I exist..." he shut his eyes tight for he couldn't face reality, although the tears wouldn't stop to trail down.

"I'm a monster...I killed them all."

"They didn't die _because_ of you, but _for_ you." Continued Akagami Shanks as his voice softened, not caring about his boiling hot hand or his long white sleeve which was beginning to scorch. He endured the pain in silence, for he knew it was negligible, compared to what the ebony-haired was feeling...His features saddened as he added, "It's not your fault. You can't blame yourself for that, your comrades wouldn't want that. The only true monster is the Shogun."

As a reply, sounds of despair escaped Ace's lips.

The daimyō's grip tightened,"Ace, it's okay if you fall, as long as you get back on your feet again. You must stand up to honor their memories and sacrifices. You're the shimmer of hope to us all, you're our true emperor."

He clenched his jaw at these words as the wavering flame inside him grew stronger and more powerful. Slowly, his body turned back to normal by itself and after a long time, with difficulty–but surely, as he shed his last tear, like a phoenix he rose from his ashes, he got up; and he would rise to the sky which wouldn't be his limit, go beyond and higher than the stars.

For his friends, no, for everyone.

* * *

_**Present time; morning, Syrupp village...**_

"Go back to wherever you came bandits!" Shouted fiercely a man with curly black hair and a nose stupidly long, wearing a dark brown and black hakama standing on a rock and holding a red yumi (=longbow surpassing the eight of the archer, over two meters tall) menacingly as he pulled its string with an arrow ready to be shot. He also had a quiver full of arrows on his shoulder. "I'm the awesome Usopp, master of a samurai clan! I've got eighty million men with me! Run for your lives!"

_'Piiman, Ninjin, Tamanegi, you assholes, you ran away and left me there!'_

In front of him, Zoro and Sanji had dismounted their horses and Luffy had turned back into his normal form a little before this archer appeared. They glanced at him with no emotion whatsoever and didn't look scared at all, if not bored.

The blonde puffed out his kiseru nonchalantly, "Yeah, right."

And the green-haired crossed his arms, "You really think we're going to believe that?"

As for their leader, he only dug his pinkie into his ear, lacking of any reaction like the others. Suddenly, his stomach growled and he placed a hand on it, "Oi, do you have any food?"

The long-nosed boy's eyes bulged out of their sockets as he dropped his yumi and then gesticulated like crazy, "M-My ruse failed?! Bad planning! Bad planning!" he rambled to himself.

"Shishishi," Laughed Luffy, "You're funny! But seriously, do you have any food? Meat would be just great! I'm so hungry!"

"That's because you shithead ditched_ everything_ on a whim, forgetting we hadn't eaten anything yet," Snapped Sanji, glancing at him, "Che, I wanted to spend a little more time with this Nojiko..." He mumbled in his beard.

Luffy's face darkened, "I was, and I'm still angry that's why." and this was one of the hugest understatements of the century.

"You had no chance with her anyway swirly, you're doomed to be forever alone." Deadpanned the other samurai.

"What?! You're so dead wakame(=seaweed)–"

"Oi, oi, oi don't ignore me!" Barked the long-nosed as he regained his composure, "You don't look like bad people, but if you're bandits, I won't hesitate to hurt you!"

"We're not," Stated bluntly the straw-hatted, but then his stomach growled even louder than before, "Ah~give me some meat, I'm starving!" he nearly whined, the shadows in his eyes dissipating.

* * *

_**Usopp's house...**_

Syrupp was a small and humble village surrounded by rice fields and was composed of Gassho-style traditional wooden houses with steeply pitched thatched roofs. The long-nosed archer's house was exactly the same, except the fact it was secluded, for it was on top of a hill. Its interior was very simple, tatami rooms with rice paper blinds and cushions for furniture.

"So," Began Usopp as he grabbed an apple on the low wooden table he was sitting around, his gaze never leaving the three men he was sharing his breakfast with beside him, "Luffy, Zoro and Sanji...That's right? You three are samurais?" He questioned a bit dubious, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Replied Luffy, wolfing down his dried fish dish.

"You don't really look like normal samurais..." Muttered the black-haired, "And you should eat slowly, I don't have anything else to offer..."

The red samurai slowed down his pace at these words and was going to say something when Zoro perked up, still chewing his onigiri (=rice ball), "What do you mean, we don't look like samurai?" He inquired.

"Well...You don't have any armor...And except you, why don't they have a katana, or a good weapon, at least? You look more like travelers to me." Continued Usopp, pointing and the cheeky boy with the huge appetite and the blonde with the weird eyebrow.

"I prefer using my fists rather than swords." Answered the straw hat bearer.

"And me my legs." Added Sanji, drinking his soup.

"Guess I'm the only normal one." Said the green-haired, yawning.

Usopp sweat-dropped...No he wasn't...Who the heck fought with three katanas..."I've got another question, you're obviously not from the royal army," he said, his voice becoming serious as he leaned his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his hands, he paused a little before asking quietly,"...Are you rōnins? (= wandering men; samurais without master/leader and during this cold war they were neutral but chased by both sides, the Shogun _and _the revolutionaries wanted new warriors)...Or revolutionaries?"

Zoro and Sanji exchanged a glance, but Luffy replied, grinning widely,"We are revolutionaries!" he declared, completely fearless.

Unexpectedly, the archer slammed his fists onto the table, "Wait here." he almost ordered, surprising the three men, then left the room and came back five minutes later with his hands full of provisions, "Eat to your hearts' content!" he proclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Zoro cocked an eyebrow, "Didn't you say you didn't have a lot of food? But thanks."

"Yay! Thank you Usopp!"

"Thank you?"

The host lifted up his chin, "I may not have much, but I'm with you guys! If I can do anything to help the revolutionaries, I'll do it! Everybody hates the Shogun here!" he sat back down and asked, his voice full of enthusiasm, "So what are you doing here?"

Luffy's grin seemed to falter, "We're on our to way to Raftel."

"What the fuck?! Do you want to die?! Why?!" Yelled Usopp, suddenly appalled.

"My future wife is imprisoned there...I'm going to save her." His expression turned somber, and his two friends looked at him with concern.

"But it's way too dangerous!"

"I don't care about the consequences."

Trying to prevent the rising tension, Sanji asked, "Oi Luffy, talking about her, you never explained how you proposed to her, why don't you tell us?" he attempted to sound casual, but he couldn't help feeling curious. Seriously, how could this walking stomach have a girl and not _him_? It irked him a lot.

"Before I left my home village, she and I promised to be together in the future and thus, I asked her to marry me." Replied Luffy, his smile slowly returning.

"Didn't you leave Fushia, like, twelve years ago? You were just kids back then." Said Zoro.

He huffed, "And so? A promise's a promise! You don't break promises!"

"You know Luffy, marriage involves love...Do you know what love is?" Questioned Sanji, understanding that it wasn't exactly what he had guessed (and also feeling bad, for Nami might have forgotten their promise and her situation...Was far from an innocent bride's)...But it was Luffy, so in the end it wasn't that surprising. In the background, the marimo snorted and mumbled that he didn't know what it was either, but he disregarded it.

In truth, he had no clear definition of this feeling, so he tried to explain as best as he could,"I think I know...Nami's my childhood friend, my best friend...But I always felt–feel that she was something more than that. During my training, I thought of her, I still do, and I want to see her smile again...I really miss her..." he frowned a little sadly, "If it's what love is, then yes, I know what is it."

It caught the three other men off guards, for two of them didn't know this side of Luffy, and the other was so speechless due to his honesty and somehow confession...It didn't seem like a kid crush only.

_'...Future wife huh?'_ Usopp was going to say something, but an image of an angelic face flashed in his mind. He grinned in a silly way and then glanced at the sliding door fully open in front of him, giving a perfect view of the sky and saw that the sun was already up, "Ah! Kaya-hime!" he exclaimed before rushing outside, forgetting his guests. "Sorry, gotta go!"

"Kaya-hime?" Asked the blonde, scratching the back of his head.

Before they could say something else, three little boys wearing simple kimonos barged inside, holding bamboo swords (=shinai). "Master Usopp!" They said in unison, but panicked when they saw that he wasn't here.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?! Where's master Usopp?!" Shrieked Piiman.

"Did you do something to him, bandits?!" Barked Ninjin.

"Oh Oda! The green-haired one's super scary!" Squealed Tamanegi.

Zoro's single eye twitched, "Heh, do we really look like mere bandits?" he asked, slightly pissed.

"'Don't know where he ran off, but he mentioned a 'Kaya-hime'" Said Sanji as he lit up his kiseru and took a puff.

* * *

"...Kaya-hime is the richest girl in Syrupp, that's why we call her this way. Her deceased parents used to be wealthy florists, and so she inherited of their fortune (in the Edo period, every class of people, commoners included, was fascinated by floriculture)...Her health is fragile and she stays most of the time in her mansion. However she's not conceited at all, and she share it with all the villagers, thanks to her we have enough money to live by." Explained Ninjin, leading Luffy's group to her little mansion, for they wanted to thank the archer again and also ask Kaya if she would be willing to give them some provisions.

(because they had left _everything _at Fushia and _should_ have gone back to their quarters, but they didn't...)

"Everybody loves her here, but I think master Usopp loves her a little more." Snickered Tamanegi.

Smirking knowingly, Piiman added, "Yeah, otherwise he wouldn't visit her every day and tell her amazing stories of him saving the world!"

"A tiny bit of 'friendly' company, pshhh! My ass!" Chuckled Ninjin, trying hard to not explode into loud laughter.

Listening to these brats, Sanji began to boil inside. Was he the only one in Japan without a lady by his side? The marimo didn't count because he was asexual and loved swords more than women...

* * *

"...I, the greatest samurai, saved Japan and peace was finally returned. The sakura trees blossomed as a new bright future began for all the children." Finished Usopp, sitting next to his vanilla-haired pretty hime wearing an elegant white kimono with koi (=carp) patterns, in her garden filled with many flowers, some daisies (his flower) scattered here and there.

"This was a beautiful story Usopp-san!" Exclaimed Kaya, beaming and clasping her hands together.

A pink of hue appeared on the archer's cheeks as he scratched one of them nervously, for he was _always_ flustered when she smiled like that..."T-Thanks..." He stammered.

"Oi Usopp! Found you!" Called out Luffy, breaking their moment as he escalated the white wall separating Kaya's mansion from outside, before landing on his feet in the garden, soon followed by the archer's disciples and his nakamas.

Startled by all those trespassers, the hime quickly turned to her samurai and asked worriedly, "W-Who are they Usopp-san?"

"Erm...They're–"

"Oh, hi! Don't worry about us! We're just samurai revolutionaries passing by! Shishishi!" Laughed Luffy, but got kicked by Zoro and Sanji, "Seriously, do you know what 'secret' means?! Your old man told us to be quiet about it! We're wanted Luffy!" they told him off.

"I'm tired of hiding!" Whined the straw-hatted boy as he patted his newly gained fuming lump on his head.

"Samurai revolutionaries! Just like you Usopp-san! Isn't it wonderful?" Said Kaya, grinning enthusiastically.

"A-Ahahah...Yeah..." Laughed awkwardly said person, now avoiding her gaze.

"Ah! What a marvelous hime~" Cooed the blue and white samurai as he attempted to get closer to her, but Usopp placed himself between them, "Oi! Back off!" he growled.

"Anyway, we're here to ask you a favor, euhm...Kaya-hime–" Started Luffy.

"Who are you all?" Questioned someone, making everybody turn towards the source of the voice, only to find a dark green-haired man in a black kimono with...Golden excrement pattern (1) approaching them. "Get out. This is trespassing."

"Ah, Kurahadol," Said Kaya...Suddenly feeling uneasy.

Usopp frowned deeply, "Che...Him again..." he muttered.

"I should be the one to say that." he replied, eying him with a condescending look, "You filthy commoner...Kaya-hime is already sharing her fortune with the village, and yet, you're not satisfied enough? You want more that's it?"

"No! I would never–"

"You keep coming back and you try to steal _all_ her money by telling her stupid lies–Oh, wait, excuse me, you call that 'stories'...Kaya-hime doesn't need to hear some bullshits told by a liar."

"Urusei–"

"Why don't you just learn your place? You're nothing but the son of a pathetic samurai who abandoned his family to play the terrorist...You're like him, you have no honor."

"Kurahadol, stop." commanded the vanilla-haired girl, "Don't say such things and apologize to him."

"Master Usopp is a respectable man! Urusei you old fart!" Yelled his friends at the same time, outraged.

The three samurais who also were 'terrorists' glared at him but remained silent.

"I'm only saying the truth Kaya-hime, he's just a pitiful brat."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Barked Usopp, gritting his teeth and punching his face with an enraged fist, making the bastard fell on his back.

Spitting out some blood, Kurahadol snapped, "Using violence now? What are you, a rabid dog? This bad blood _does_ run in your family."

The archer kicked him in his stomach as he clenched his fists, "Urusei! Yes, my father's a revolutionary! And I'm proud of it! I might lie, but certainly not about this!" he spat out, his eyes filled with intense hatred. "_You_ don't know what honor is!"

"Proud to be the son of a stupid samurai who thinks he can fight against the powerful Shogun? I hope he's going to be send in jail."

Luffy's eyes began to turn red and his body trembled slightly from suppressed anger, however he didn't move, for he felt a hand clamping over his shoulder, "It's not your fight." Said calmly Zoro.

"I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU!" Shrieked Usopp as he grasped the dark-green-haired by the collar with one hand, the other ready to deliver him another punch.

"Usopp-san!" Called out Kaya, looking frightened while tears welled up in her eyes, "Please don't hurt him! He's not a bad person..."

Usopp closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, then he did release him and whirled around, "Screw all of this." he screeched.

Kurahadol smirked, "Never enter the mansion again."

"I won't." Seethed the long-nosed, walking away, his head still high.

Watching him leave, the samurais' attention then shifted to the man dusting off his black kimono who harbored a big smirk, and their eyes shot so much daggers that it made him shudder.

"I'm going to kick your ass!" Yelled Luffy, being restrained by _both_ of his friends.

"Don't badmouth about our master!" Shrieked Usopp's disciples.

"You too, get out!"

* * *

_**Later, somewhere in Syrupp village...**_

"The revolutionaries have a shitty reputation." Stated Sanji as he smoked his kisaru, leaning his back on a tree trunk.

"You don't say, dartboard." Replied his green-haired nakama, laying down on the grass with his arms folded under his head, "But whatever."

Their leader had run Oda knew where _again_, and they were waiting for him with two of Usopp's friends, Ninjin and Piiman.

"'Wonder where Luffy went..." Mumbled the blonde.

"Going to see Usopp, perhaps."

Piiman interjected, "You want to go look for them? We could lead you to–"

"No." They replied curtly.

"Anyway, where's your friend?" Asked Zoro, although he didn't really sound interested to know the answer.

Ninjin began,"Tamanegi? Who knows...Sometimes he disappears and comes back screaming nonsense–"

"Guys! Guys! There's something super weird! There's a man walking backwards!" Shrieked the little boy with the onion-like head, running towards them.

"Woah...What's up with this dumb lie?" Said his two friends with a bored expression.

"I'm not lying! Look!" Snapped Tamanegi, pointing at a silver-haired man in a dark blue kimono, who indeed walked strangely.

"...And I thought I had seen enough shits in my life..." Muttered Sanji.

"I'm not weird, I'm just a hypnotist passing by, don't mind me." Said the man as he came closer, like a creep.

"Since when there are hypnotists?" Questioned Zoro, bewildered.

"Really?! Show us! Show us!" Chanted the three youngsters with sparkles in their eyes.

"I'm not sure if I should do that...Well, okay." he brought up a ring held by a string, "I, Jango, will show you my trick!" he slowly made it swing, "When I say one, two, Jango, you fall asleep, got it? One, two, Jan–"

The three boys and him included fell asleep.

"What the hell?!"

* * *

_**On a cliff where stood an oak, the sun gradually setting...**_

"That bastard, crushing down my pride like that..." Muttered Usopp, sitting down cross-legged on the ground and looking heavenwards.

"I hate him too." Said a voice next to him.

The archer jolted upwards, "W-What?! Oh, it's you again, don't crawl up behind me like that!"

"Sorry sorry, shishishi!" Laughed Luffy as he plopped down beside him, "Ne, Yasopp is your father, right?" he asked totally out of the blue, earning a gasp from Usopp.

"How...How do you know?!"

"I met him when I was young! I remembered because you really look like him, and you use the same weapon, that's pretty cool! He used to talk a lot you too..."

At those words, the long-nosed boy's face considerably lightened, "Do you know where he is now?"

"Nope! But I'm certain he's with Shanks!"

Usopp's eyes widened, "Shanks...Akagami right? Wait up, what?! He's with a daimyō?! With one of the strongest samurais?! The daimyōs still exist?!"

Luffy grinned from ear to ear, "You heard me! Of course they do! And he's worth to be one of his nakamas, I've never seen his arrows miss their targets."

Now, his grin was competing against the red samurai's, "I'm truly proud of my ossan!" then it seemed to fade a bit, "Ah, I wish I could be a revolutionary too..."

"Why don't you become one?"

"Before leaving, my father told me to protect my mother and my village...Well, she died, but I still must protect Syrupp!" he wasn't lying, he had trained on his own to become the best archer of Japan. He blushed lightly as he added, "And Kaya-hime...I'm just like you, I also have a girl in my mind."

The straw-hat bearer lost his grin, making his almost new friend bit his lips, "Ah, sorry, I didn't mean–"

"I know. It's okay." He actually wasn't, he couldn't stop thinking about Nami and he was deeply worried for her, however he tried to not show it...His eyes lowered...But then he blinked, "Heh? Usopp! Look! It's that Kurahadol!" he exclaimed, pointing at him beneath them, who was accompanied by a weird dude.

"Che, seeing him again...How great." Said the archer, his voice dripping sarcasm. Nonetheless, they went silent and listened to their conversation.

"You look very suspicious Jango, you know that?"

"No I don't...Anyway, what does our former leader want from us?"

"I'm tired of waiting for that girl to die, she's really clinging onto life and I'm sick of seeing her share her fortune with filthy peasants...I've decided, tonight I need your help. We murder the entire village and steal all their money that we'll share later. We're both winners, you all love your life of bandits and money means more weapons to you; and for me it'll allow me to become a citizen of Raftel."

"Sounds great. The black cat bandits are with you. But Kuro, I don't understand why you gave up on your bandit life."

"I don't want to live in the dirt anymore, I'll do _anything_ to enter Raftel."

Usopp's face went a paraffin white, "Shit! We must alert the villagers and Kaya-hime!"

* * *

_**Five minutes later in Syrupp...**_

"Bandits! Bandits!" Shouted Usopp, dashing throughout the village as fast as he could.

"Are you serious Usopp? We know you want to play the hero but twice a day is too much!" Grunted a villager, for the long-nosed boy would always wake them up chanting the same words, as if like that he would feel useful.

He also would tell stories of him saving the country of the rising sun gloriously, but during these hard times almost nobody was listening to him, defeating the cruel Shogun? The revolutionaries were barely managing to counter back, a wanna be samurai wouldn't save or do a single thing. Pessimism? No, realism...They didn't even hold a sliver of hope.

"If only you could be trustworthy like Kurahadol..." Sighed another.

"I'm not lying! I swear! Tonight there's going to be an attack!" Shrieked the archer, but to not avail, it was written in their eyes; they didn't believe in him at all.

* * *

_**Kaya's mansion...**_

"Kaya-hime!" Yelled the long-nosed, climbing up the wall, and landing in her garden, "Kaya-hime!" he never ceased to run until he arrived to her room.

"Usopp-san! You came back!" Exclaimed his hime, leaving her flowers arrangement (= ikebana) and smiling at him. He grabbed her wrist not so gently and began to drag her away, "W-What's wrong Usopp-san?"

"You must hide Kaya-hime! Kurahadol is after you! He wants to hurt you!" Announced Usopp with a hint of fear in his voice.

Shocked by the harshness of his grip, she blinked and panicked, "W-What are you saying? He's my caretaker!" she proclaimed, trying to get away from him by pulling her arm.

"He wants to murder the entire village with his group of bandits!"

"You're scaring me Usopp-san!" She shrieked, shutting her eyes tight as tears formed in them. She slapped him hard, "Let me go!"

"Oi you! Get away from her!" Barked a trembling man with a sheep-like head named Merry. He held an unsheathed katana and brought it up as he hurried towards him and slashed the archer's stomach, who stepped backwards in horror.

"N-Nobody is believing me..." He whispered with a pained face before running away, a hand on his bleeding belly.

* * *

_**Meanwhile,**__** mount Fuji...**_

Nami clicked her tongue in pure annoyance, walking on a beaten track with hurried steps. She suddenly halted and glanced at her follower. "Man, give me a break. For the umpteenth time, Chopper, go back to Raftel. Don't make me use my powers on you." she menaced, glaring at her little companion on her left.

The teenager didn't lower his gaze and kept staring at his friend in her shinobi black uniform, "No! And I know you won't," he smiled a bit, "I'm worried for you...You have a lot of dangerous missions recently, and you're alone on this one, I want to help you! I'm a yokaiko too!" the Shogun was nearly killing all his underlings with work and dirty jobs.

Her eyes narrowed, "I like being _alone _when I'm working." she seethed, "And being a yokaiko doesn't mean you're unbeatable. You're not a fighter like me, you're not trained to kill."

He frowned deeply as he scrunched up his nose, "Killing is so wrong anyway...I don't understand this war."

The orange-haired beauty sighed, "It's called survival of the fittest Chopper. Besides, wrong and right, those things don't exist in objective reality. They're nothing but irrelevant illusions. I see nothing wrong with killing assholes..." she said coldly, before turning into her half fox form then running very fast to jump and fly away, leaving Chopper on his own. Being a nogitsune had so much privileges...

"Hana! Wait for me!" Yelped her friend.

* * *

"Guys, tonight there's going to be some action!" Declared Luffy with a wide grin as he threw his hand up in front of his two friends who were still lounging in Syrupp. "We're going to fight!"

His green-haired nakama deigned to open his single eye and smirked, "Finally. I was getting bored here."

"Perfect. I needed to stretch my legs." Replied the other, smiling as well.

"Oi, oi, what do you mean?!" Yelled the three disciples, alarmed.

"Bandits are coming tonight. You better hide somewhere!" Announced the red samurai, showing no worries.

"Ah, it's_ only_ shitty bandits..."

The monster trio was on its way.

* * *

"Even if nobody believes me, I'll protect Syrupp!" Screamed Usopp as he spat out some blood, enraged and his jaw clenched. For his honor, for his friends...For Kaya.

"Hmm...I lost Luffy on the way...I wonder where he went..." He said as he ran to his house and grabbed his yumi and the old armor which belonged to his father.

Truthfully, he was frightened. He had trained and could use his bow like nobody else, but never did he actually fight real persons, only static targets...Furious mobs were different. He had to get a grip.

"I must be strong!"

* * *

_**Nighttime...**_

The night had fallen and a serene silence was reigning over Syrupp (the villagers were sleeping peacefully); four samurais were standing still at the edge of the village, waiting for their opponents to come. They were calm and looked unmoved by the situation, except for one of them (the only one in an armor) whose legs were shaking.

"Why are you helping me?" Asked Usopp, holding his yumi and breaking out in a cold sweat.

Luffy shrugged, "We're nakama, aren't we?"

"Master Usopp is very strong and cool!" Yelled Tamanegi, totally blowing up his cover. He had followed his master with his two friends and were hiding in bushes not far away.

"Yeah! We always believed in you!" Declared Ninjin.

"Master Usopp's the best!" They also heard the voice of Piiman full of admiration.

"You kiddos shouldn't be there. Shoo shoo!" Scolded Sanji as he moved his hand back and forth, then brought up his kisaru and lit it up. The kids stayed in the bushes.

And then, the enemies did arrive (they were at least thirty), but they didn't expect Kaya to be prisoner of Kuro's arms, crying her heart out, "I trusted you! And you hurt Merry, you monster!" She sobbed. Jango stood next to them and chuckled sinisterly.

"Kaya-hime!" Shrieked the archer, blanching.

Kuro replied without mercy, "It's your fault for not telling me where you hide your money–Oh. It's you all." he stopped dead in tracks as he faced the samurais. "What are you doing here? Who are you anyway?"

"Were going to give you a good beating," said Luffy as he rolled up his red sleeves to his elbow, "hope you're ready. You won't go any further or hurt somebody else." he cracked his knuckles nonchalantly. "And I'm Monkey D. Luffy!"

It made the bandits snicker, for they were outnumbering them right now. Their (former) leader looked at them with an annoyed expression, "Monkey D. ? What you're a revolutionary?"

"We all are!"

"W-What seriously, you're a Monkey D. ?! You forgot to tell me!" Stuttered Usopp, completely agape...Never did he think he was a samurai coming from such a famous clan. Then he went back to his priorities, "Never mind, free Kaya-hime you fucker!" he yelled.

"Make me." Said defiantly Kuro, but Kaya bit his arm, surprising him she jerked free, "You bitch!" and ran behind _her_ samurai.

"One, two, Ja–" Began but never finished Jango, for Sanji had run towards him and high kicked his jaw, "Oh, urusei you." he replied harshly as the hypnotist fell on the ground, motionless. It angered the bandits whose eyes went red and gradually...One by one, their bodies distorted and grew bigger to turn into nekomatas, the demon cats of the mountains as large as leopards.

They all were yokaikos, their souls had been tainted by the thirst for blood, however Kuro only turned into his half cat form, for he felt he was dealing with weaklings and his lackeys could fight them.

Usopp and Kaya gaped, stunned by what they had just witnessed, "W-what is happening?!" stammered the long-nosed, trying to stop the quiver. He couldn't.

"They're yokaikos...Well, not bad, a tiny bit of challenge's cool." Said plainly Zoro, unsheathing his most precious sword, Wadō Ichimonji.

The vanilla-haired girl was horrified and the tears were streaming down, "I-I thought it was only a legend!"

"Hey Luffy, cats versus a tiger, who wins?" Questioned Sanji, grinning.

Said person slowly turned into his half yōkai form as his eyes were glowing red; claws appeared on his hands as his slim body grew, same for white ears, making his hat fall on his back and fangs replaced his teeth, "The answer's obvious, shishishi! It's ON!" then he leapt over his enemies, still laughing. He wasn't scared by bloodbaths, samurais were accustomed to blood since they were young, their rice was even dyed in red by the use of beans to remind it to them.

The nekomatas sprinted towards all of them, growling and hissing dangerously...Luffy's nakamas smirked and joined the battle too, many of them got crushed to the ground by Sanji's feet while others were sliced by Zoro's blade in a tornado of blood...The yokaikos' hemoglobin was pitch black.

Staring at them in disbelief and astonishment, Usopp pondered if they were humans as a roll of sweat trailed down his forehead...Except for Luffy of course, he was a yokaiko too...He was scared to death, he had never seen real demons in his life–which had been tranquil up until now. He was interrupted in his thoughts when Kuro appeared in a flash in front of him and slashed his armor, pierced it and hurt even more his stomach with his claws. "Your friends aren't better than us, we're all outlaws."

He dropped his yumi and fell on the ground before the terrorized eyes of Kaya who shrieked at the top of her lungs, even more as the dark-green-haired man stomped on his head with his wooden clogs, "Hahah, what a weakling." he sneered, pressing down onto his skull.

His limbs wouldn't move even an inch and fear took over the archer; he heard the screams of his hime who had also stumbled on the ground, and the cries of his disciples in the background, but he was paralyzed.

"You're acting all mighty, and yet, you're so pathetic." Laughed Kuro.

_'It hurts like hell...'_ Usopp grounded his teeth, he felt that his brain was going to get squished. His eyes released some bitter tears...Of shame. "I'm weak..." He sobbed. '_I hate myself...I'm sorry Kaya, the chicken-hearted me can't help you...'_

Zoro and Sanji were too occupied to fight all the wild cats and the straw-hat bearer was delivering a whirlwind of punches, optionally slashing his opponents too, but he yelled to him, "Usopp! Get up!" as he didn't react, he rose his voice while kicking another hissing enemy, "You're a man! Get up and protect those you care for!" he shrieked and by that, Luffy was also screaming what he felt...Protect your loved ones...Protect Nami...And he had failed that. That was why Usopp couldn't fail!

"Are you afraid of the dark?" Questioned the cause of all his fight, stomping harder.

Bravery began to rush in Usopp's veins as his shaky arm reached out with difficulty his quiver and his hand grabbed an arrow. Yes, he was a coward, a whiner and a fearful person...A liar too, but he had never lied about something; he loved _her_. It was time to be a _hero_. He planted it right through Kuro's legs with all his might, "Urusei!" he growled as he spluttered some blood.

It surprised Kuro who instinctively backed off and the archer seized the opening. He grasped his yumi and his quiver; and on very weak legs, he got up. Like a shield, he put himself in front of a crying Kaya. His face was bruised and bleeding as he shouted, "You're going down!" he quickly took an arrow and placed it ready to be shot, "Die!"

The arrow pierced his neck and the black blood overflew. Gasping for air with furious scarlet eyes, he fell on his knees...And this was when the beast went wild. Fearing he was going to die so lamely, his inner yōkai took the lead...Totally, and he transformed into a full yōkai, his body now similar to a lion's. He was unable to talk, to remember who he was, to feel; only led by the hunger for new flesh. The curse was completed.

Unexpectedly, he attacked everyone on his way as he roared, even his once comrades whose bodies fell lifeless one by one. He murdered them all. "It's not Kuro anymore, it's a monster!" Shrieked some of them trying to flee before meeting their impending dooms.

_'...What do I do?! I'm not an exorcist!'_ Stressful and his breath ragged, the long-nosed placed at the same time several arrows on his yumi and shot, but the monster didn't look affected by them caressing his gruesome body.

Luffy finished off the small fries and turned to Usopp, "He completely lost it! We must kill him, there's nothing else we can do!" he hurried to him with Sanji and Zoro. Joining their forces, Kuro's life ended with an arrow planted between his eyes, a powerful kick breaking his ribcage, a vertical cut and claws slicing his throat. The beast was crushed on the ground.

The bandits who were still alive (and there wasn't many of them) scampered away, running for dear life, taking with them some fallen friends.

The fight was won.

Kaya rushed to her samurai's arms while the straw-hatted boy stared at the pitiful monster's corpse, his expression somehow saddening... Kuro had dreamed of entering the Shogun's world, no matter what the cost was..."We don't born as monsters...We're turned into monsters."

However, the difference between the revolutionaries and the other outlaws was that they fought to protect their people, and not their egos.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, mount Fuji, in a forest...**_

"So what do we have here huh?" Said teasingly a red-haired samurai revolutionary as he swung his sword to scare the poor boy on the ground in front of him, his blue eyes filled with tears and terror.

"Be prudent Kidd, he might be an onmitsu in disguise..." Warned another with a scornful look.

"Yeah, Paulie's right, we're never too careful..."

Chopper was nearly wetting his brown kimono, for he was all alone, lost and cornered by a dozen of them, looking dangerously at him with their unsheathed katanas. "I-I'm not!" he sobbed, "I swear!"

"We can't trust him. We have to kill him." Murmured another, paranoid due to the fright of being attacked by the Oniwanbashū or the royal army whenever and wherever they were.

The seventeen year-old teenager squealed, "N-No!" and panicked, "S-Somebody help me! Hana! Hana!"

"He's going to reveal our position! We must make him shut up!"

Hidden just above in a tree, Nami grimaced. She came back because she was...Worried for him. Not that she would admit it. This little guy was good at finding himself in trouble..._'Come on Chopper, unleash your yōkai...'_

"Hana! Hana! Hana!" This was hopeless, Chopper didn't want to hurt, let alone kill, anyone.

She sighed and jumped off her tree, landing on her feet with her chain-sickle in her hand. (and giving a heart-attack to the revolutionaries.) "Seriously Chopper...Don't cry."

"H-Hana!" He squealed as he got up and dashed to hide behind her. "I-I'm sorry!"

"This uniform! She's an onmitsu! I told you this guy was no good!" Barked Kidd, however he wasn't afraid, for this trained female dog was on her own and they were encircling her.

"Let's kill her!" They shrieked together as they launched themselves on her, she was ensnared. She bit her bottom lip, she had been careless and dragged her friend in this...The following second, everything happened so fast; she didn't know why, but when a sprinting Kidd moved his blade like a maniac at her, Chopper protected her with his back. "Don't hurt her!" Time seemed to go in slow motion as Nami watched her friend stumble and fell. Her lips parted slightly, agape, while her eyes turned bright red. "Chopper..." She murmured, crouching down beside him.

"...I-I'm...Okay...See...I can be...Brave too..." He whimpered in his puddle of blood.

"Che, so annoying!" Barked Paulie, bringing up his katana and dashing, hoping to slash her in two.

"Death would be a fate too sweet for you. I'll torture you before. All of you." She said with a glacial voice as she stood up, transforming into her half yōkai form...She let the demon inside her took over her. They gawked and halted when they saw nine tails appearing.

The game of annihilation started.

The first one to suffer would be the red head. In a split of a second, she had grasped his hair and crashed his head against a tree trunk, breaking his nose and teeth. When he was on the ground, she stomped on his skull without any restriction and so forcefully that everybody heard a sound of something cracking. He wasn't moving after that.

The second one would be this Paulie. Swinging her weapon gracefully like a death scythe, she beheaded him mercilessly, much to the horror of his comrades. "She's a fucking monster!"

The orange-haired demon snickered softly as her body moved on its own and she attacked every motherfucker on her path; animal instincts. Her movements were beautiful though. She was almost dancing elegantly, as if she was back in Arlong Park performing the Oiran dance with the grace of a Yamato Nadeshiko (=Japanese ideal woman), the droplets of blood falling down around her like pretty pearls. The last samurais left paled and attempted to evade their imminent deaths by retaliating.

"Why bothering to resist?" She chuckled as she threw a ball of lighting at one of them, "Oh...He went flying."

A samurai with teary eyes ran towards her, "You scum!" he shouted, but didn't get to say anything else, for she sliced his stomach, unleashing her fury. His guts were hanging out of his belly, similar to splendid crimson wisteria flowers.

Hana Tachibana was flower. A flower which sprouted on her enemies' corpses, watered by their blood, a flower of hell.

Smirking evilly, she butchered them all, and caught the last one still alive. He had stumbled on the ground and her foot was pressing down onto his torso. He was crying like a baby and begged for mercy, "Please, spare me, I have a wife and kids!"

"That's sad." She stated bluntly as she grabbed his katana which was on his side. "But I don't care."

She heard Chopper's faint voice telling her, "...Hana...Stop..."

But hearing wasn't listening; she stabbed the man with his own weapon, laughing darkly. It was game over for them.

"Have a nice dream."

* * *

_**Syrupp village, dawn...**_

The bandits and Kuro's corpses had been thrown in a ravine, for the samurais had had to clean off everything before the villagers would awaken. Kaya-hime was so graceful that she gave them some provisions (and sake, asked by Zoro) but one of her servants, Merry, offered them an ox-drawn cart because it would be easier to travel like that; they could do it even at night and transport more belongings. He called it the 'Merry-Go' (Almost all the wheeled vehicles were forbidden back then because the Shogun restricted the travels, preventing peasants from leaving their provinces.)

Luffy's group was leaving the village now, Kaya, Merry and Usopp were with them at the village's entrance to bid them goodbye.

Standing in front of Luffy, the archer said, "It was nice to meet you. I hope you all will come back here someday!"

"What are you saying Usopp? Come with us!" Exclaimed the red samurai.

"I can't! I must stay here, it's my duty!"

The raven-haired boy tilted his head sideways, "You're still worried that someone will attack Syrupp? Don't worry, I'll ask jii-chan to transfer some men here."

"Talking about your old man," Mumbled Sanji, "He's gonna kill us when we'll come back."

The grandson didn't answer, he preferred to laugh...Very awkwardly, looking away.

"Go with them Usopp-san," gently whispered Kaya as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "I know you want to."

Luffy declared, grinning widely, "Oi Usopp, come with us and your stories will become history! We'll give a bright future to the children of tomorrow together!"

Usopp had no arguments to counter back.

"Just go," Murmured his hime, smiling softly at him. All of a sudden, she was in his arms, "There's something I must tell you before," he said gently, "I love you Kaya-hime," and added quickly, "and it's not a lie!"

Before everyone's shocked eyes, they kissed and parted. He would always be her hero.

* * *

_**On the road...**_

"Oi, never thought about a horse carriage?" Asked Zoro, laying down in the wagon. "The Shogun's such a royal pain in the ass."

Sanji snorted, "Did you try to be funny marimo? Just stop... And go seppuku yourself."

Usopp was sleeping, snoring loudly and whispering his hime's name. (He was hurt after all.)

Luffy was turning around in the wagon, unable to rest well. With the Syrupp incident, he hadn't had the time to think much about Nami...But now...She was constantly in his head. He actually thought of her every day, even if the seasons came and went...But it was different, he thought she was waiting for him in Fushia, happy with her family.

He felt that he was an animal in cage due to his impatience. (and this was one of his traits that he had way before becoming a yokaiko) Knowing that she was living a horrible life right now made him furious...Did she cry for help? Did she still do?

He closed his eyes, his chest hurting because of all the cherished memories of days gone by appeared in his mind. He would never forget them, they were engraved in his heart.

"_Nami, Nami! Look! It's a beetle!"_

"_Gah! Get that away from me!"_

He couldn't restrain a chuckle, how could you be scared of bugs? Then, a memory of them playing hide and seek in the sunflowers field behind Fushia village flashed by.

"_I found you Nami!"_

"_Moh, already..." _

It had always been easy. Among the sunflowers, she was the prettiest one...He was almost praying now. Praying that she was alright, safe and sound, smiling wholeheartedly.

But even the biggest idiot on earth would know that twelve years spent in hell would change someone...Yet, he really hoped that she was still _his_ Nami. He opened his eyes. Although they were emblazoned with sheer willpower and determination to save her, they also held sadness in them.

Ah, the sky was sorrowful...

* * *

_**Raftel castle...**_

"What?! Ace escaped?!" Barked the Shogun, scaring his harem. He saw one of his puppets paling.

"Your majesty–"

"Don't give me any shitty excuses! Send all my strongest men to capture him!"

"Yes, your majesty."

* * *

(1) It's truly his clothes, I didn't make that up for vulgarity!

**Sorry! This chapter was super long! And yes, it was Syrupp arc ****again, but samurai version...Ah, it's the first and last chapter like that, I swear! This story is in no way a revisited version of OP...(I just like UsoKa and I wanted to show you what happens when you become a yōkai...)...And this isn't a every villain of OP versus every 'good' one, some nice guys might be bad in this :)**

Yes, there's a lot of japanese references, definitions and all...About that, all my stories (except the first one) are very japanese-like...I hope you like it just as much as I do! I can't really write american stories, for I don't really know about the USA's history and I doubt you'd like a LuNa story taking place in France...(my country)

**I didn't make up Nami's powers she can fly! I decided to still call her Nami too. The heroes won't scream their attacks' names in this story either...And Luffy and Sanji will use katanas later on! Don't worry. :D**

**Would you like the flashbacks of Sanji and Zoro when they met Luffy? It's filler...So I could say it implicitly if you prefer.**

**Also, I've decided; I won't get a beta reader, I want to improve my english on my own, so please forgive me for any grammar mistakes...I'm doing my best about that xD!**


	6. Chapter 5: Twisted justice

**Note:** I forgot to say why Usopp's clothes aren't yellow (his color)...Well...They would look too much like power rangers. xD Also! Not all the revolutionaries are good people...Theoretically, they _are_ terrorists.

**To Mugiwara-crystal**; Woah, c'est trop bizarre de voir une review en français! Je ne savais pas que des français lisaient mes fics :)! Et une LuNa fic en France, Paris?...Moui bof, je préfère le Japon xD!

**To NightmareHeartx;** Thank you for pointing out that mistake and for the support :)! And to my dear readers, thank you!

**Hey guys, I still call her Nami, but you do understand that she 'died' right? XD In truth, she's only Hana Tachibana (perhaps I should only call her like that...?)**

Chapter 5: Twisted justice

His body was shaking with fear as he felt the intense pain on his back, the cut was deep and bleeding profusely; breathing became difficult. Slightly panting, he could only observe her mutilating these revolutionaries, his eyelids heavy due to the dizziness he was slowly succumbing to. He squeaked when a samurai's hand and eyeball landed next to him.

Chopper was crying in silence...But it wasn't from the dolor. The tears were surfacing because he loathed to see her like that...Hana's eyes, usually burgundy were now similar to those of a predator.

She was laughing sinisterly, as if she had given in to the monster inside her. Monster...He hated this curse unlocked by an evil personality or a trauma; he would always try to tame and control his inner yōkai...As a humanist, he didn't want to hurt anybody.

He shut his eyes, he didn't want to see. No more slaughter...As a doctor, he wished he could amend the pain of those who were suffering, heal the world. He was very skilled and was often called by the other brothels, he was the confident of the prostitutes, he heard their laments, his job wasn't the happiest one. Sometimes, he was the one to close their dead eyes, for their lives had ended due to a disease or a suicide...

He could hear the shrieks of samurais begging for mercy, but Hana only laughed harder as she slashed them, playing her little game of extermination. Sobbing, he placed two quivery hands on his ears. She was enjoying it, she was thrilled by it. It wasn't the first time he had witnessed her killing people, but this was so different; she wasn't her normal self, ending this quickly in a one shot. She was butchering her preys and having fun.

"...Hana...Stop..." He pleaded with a barely audible voice.

Hana...She was like a big sister to him, even if she was cold, she was there for him when he was sad, her arms were wide open to him when he had a nightmare about his past, or just because he hated the cruelty of this seemingly never-ending war. His tears would also fall down each time he'd think of all the children whose happy futures had been taken away, for they were turned into murderers by the adults, inapt to choose the path they had truly dreamed of.

She was one of them. Nobody deserved such a monstrous fate–the tears wouldn't stop–and he knew, deep inside her she had a heart, perhaps it was almost dead, frozen, but she did have one. He really wanted to be able to give her the merry life she should have lived. He opened his eyes, the screams had stopped...Instantaneously, he felt the urge to puke. The samurais' blood, organs, flesh, were scattered all around, limbs ripped off and maimed bodies piling up.

This curse was beyond terrifying.

"Hana..." He called out again, coughing.

The orange-haired demon had finished off her last opponent and stopped dead in tracks because his voice was finally reaching her. She paused as she gradually regained her senses and dropped her weapon...Before suddenly hurrying towards him, taking off her blood-soaked black balaclava revealing a sad expression, her pretty orbs returning to normal and a single tear trailing down her cheek–never did he see her cry during their moments spent together–In this instant, he just knew that this ice-cold heart was melting.

"Chopper!" She yelled with a trembling voice as she quickly made a magic cloud appear and with her wind powers, she lifted him up and delicately put him on it, like a stretcher. It was fluffy and warm. Immediately, she ripped off a part of her bloody uniform to use it as a bandage around his wound. She looked so worried.

"...It's...Serious..." He stated softly.

"Don't worry, it's going to be alright! We're going back to Raftel and I'll take care of you!" She uttered, breaking her unmovable attitude, forgetting her mission and everything. She never ditched her work. A faint smile spread on his face.

Transporting him in the night sky as fast as she could, she flew by his side, her glossy eyes never leaving him. The evil eyes that no one could escape from...They looked so kind right now, there was a tiny light behind them. Her mask of constant apathy was shattering. For him, her friend.

"H-Hold on!"

No, he wasn't frightened by her; yes her hands were dirtied and her soul was tainted by the black mist of the darkening...But she wasn't a monster. True monsters had no emotions, their hearts were totally rotten, and hers could still be saved, he deeply hoped...

Despite all her crimes, he felt safe around her.

...However, he knew he wasn't going to make it; he had lost too much blood and they wouldn't reach the capital on time. His consciousness was slowly swallowed by his inner yōkai who was battling for dominance...He could give in and transform into a true demon and thus his body would become stronger, allowing him to survive, but it wouldn't be him anymore. He was going to die anyway; his fate was sealed, so...

She should do the same thing that she had done when they first met.

* * *

_*Flashback, five years ago, Drum village...*_

_His knees had given up on him, for the pain was too hard to endure. His body had monstrously distorted and was covered in dirty and filthy brown fur, which had caused his tattered worn out kimono to rip off. He was drenched in bad blood, his barely recognizable features were contorted in pain as tears were building up in his eyes, viewing the scenery in front of him._

_Mutilated people were either dead or agonizing; their wails of despair were ringing in his head and scaring him deeply._

_Tony Tony Chopper had just lost everything. His foster parents, Hiluluk and Kureha, the two doctors of Drum, but also the other villagers had been killed by a bandit named Wapol and his comrades. His mind hadn't registered everything right away, for he just couldn't believe it...Drum had been 'peaceful' until now, a small poor village with nothing really interesting happening there._

_Yet, the murderer had still wanted to pillage Drum and attacked everyone, laughing as he had seen that they were defenseless. When Chopper had witnessed his parents falling before his horrified eyes..._

_What? What had occurred next?_

_He had wanted the bastards to die and suffer, he had almost wished for it...And... His inner yōkai had awakened as the black blood mixed with his own in his veins. He was a tanuki, a shape-shifting raccoon dog as powerful as a kitsune or a nekomata. He had stopped listening to his pure heart and had used black magic against them. Possessing their minds, he had made all of them kill themselves with their own weapons. Their heads had fallen, one by one._

_He had done that out of absolute rage and mindlessly, but now his conscience had come back. He wasn't better than those bandits, he had murdered people...It sickened him and the stench of fresh hemoglobin made him vomit the little food he had eaten earlier, when he had serenely been enjoying lunch with his family._

_Everything was horrible._

_Tears rapidly pooled in his eyes, but his hand wouldn't move to wipe them away, he was paralyzed. He dared to glance at Hiluluk's body next to him, he could see his intestines and his heart, his whole torso had been butchered. He felt like puking again, which he did._

_Then, a group of shinobis passed by. The assassins halted, staring at the horrendous butcher. The softies were slightly pitying the villagers, and the toughest ones seemed to not feel a thing...None of them tried to help them, they couldn't be saved. They had other business to do, furthermore they were used to see slaughters and corpses...But one of them approached slowly._

"_Hana, what are you doing? We don't have time for that shit." Said disdainfully a shinobi._

"_Yeah, we don't have time for that." Muttered another. _

_Latter person went closer to the dying villagers and brought up her chain-sickle. Swinging it swiftly, she sent them to the underworld without saying a word._

"_Oda...She really enjoys killing." Whispered one of her co-worker, watching her trusting her weapon's blade in an old woman's chest._

"_What, it still surprises you? Among us, she's the cruelest one."_

"_She's only a kid..."_

"_Yeah, but she's a monster."_

"_Urusei," Spat out Hana, "Go back to Raftel guys, I'll catch up later." her voice was devoid of any feelings as she said that. Her comrades obeyed and left silently, for they didn't really care to see her playing with her blade._

_Chopper stared at her in disbelief as she finished off absolutely everyone. She made her way towards a little girl who was wailing with an arm missing and whose chest had been slashed, she was on the verge of death._

_Crying her heart out on the ground, the girl lifted her head up to look at the shinobi before her. Coughing up some blood, she smiled as the tears trailed down,"T...Thank you...I can...Finally...Die, at...Last." she coughed harder, "Mommy...I'm coming..." she murmured, closing her eyes._

_Hana beheaded her right after._

_His eyes widening, he gawked quietly. No, she wasn't cruel...She was putting everyone out of their misery, only the burden to do it was cruel...The mysterious shinobi glanced around, her gaze stopping to meet his._

_She came closer, not afraid at all or repulsed by his hideous form. "You're not dying." She stated bluntly, examining him from head to toe as she lowered her chain-sickle. Unlike the others, he had some bruises but no lethal wounds...He was the only survivor. Chopper gasped as he jerked backwards, for fear he'd hurt her or something..._

"_D-Don't come any closer," he ordered with a strained voice, his tears still overflowing, "I'm...A monster...!"_

"_You're not a monster," She stated again, crouching down to face him completely, "Monsters don't cry."_

_He took a sharp intake of breath as she suddenly took off her balaclava and he saw her face–an orange-haired girl just slightly older than him. She extended her hand to him, "You shouldn't stay here. Come with me." her voice was very cold, and yet, there was also a little warmth in it. _

"_I...I...I..." He couldn't say anything, for he cried his lungs out as he threw himself in her arms and snuggled his head on her chest, his body returned to normal on its own. He cried and cried, for he was just a small boy whose heart had shattered. She didn't push him away._

"_Come with me." She repeated, patting his head, although his hair was filthy and filled with lice._

_He nodded as he bit his lips and grabbed Hiluluk's hat, it was the only thing he could save. Because his legs wouldn't work due to his shaken state, she carried him piggy back style to another place, very far from this horror. Surprising him once more, she jumped and flew with him, nine tails appearing on her backside and fox's ears popping out on her head._

_Was she like him?_

_She took him to Arlong Park–while it was a hellish place, he wasn't complaining. Hana offered him some food, she washed him (no one else dared to touch him), gave him a kimono and lent to him her futon to rest on. She didn't ask for anything else in exchange and he demanded;_

"_Why...Do you do that for me?"_

"_I couldn't leave you back there." She replied, but never explained why exactly. She didn't know herself. Something inside her had told her to not leave him in his misery._

_The next day, her master scolded her for her actions. Hidden behind a sliding door, he heard the whole argument._

"_Why the fuck did you bring back a filthy kid?! This boy has nothing to do here in Yoshiwara!" Barked Arlong, harshly grasping her by her long hair, hence she was on her knees before him._

_Hana remained calm, used to being ill-treated, brutalized or abused either by her master or by her clients. She was a high ranked prostitute (although she wasn't the Oiran yet) but she once was at the bottom of the hierarchy, and she knew the pain of being treated as less than nothing. "As you said, he's just a kid. Master, he has no family, he lost his entire village. I...Just couldn't leave him alone."_

_Her master snorted, "So what? You're his guardian angel or something?" and then he threw her against the wall with force. She endured the pain quietly. "Hana, Hana, Hana...You might be my favorite doll, but there are rules you must follow. If you don't follow them, it's the chaos, you understand? No kids in Yoshiwara. They're useless here."_

_This was when Chopper mustered his courage and interjected as he suddenly opened the door and yelled, "I'm not useless, I've got some doctor skills...!" he glanced at his orange-haired savior whose eyes slightly widened, smiled a bit and turned back to him, "I could become a good doctor! Your doctor!"_

_Arlong eyed him with a condescending look, "Don't you know it's impolite to eavesdrop?" he snapped, "And how come a brat living in the dirt would have some knowledge in medicine? Don't make me laugh."_

_The twelve year-old boy balled his fists, "It's true! I can prove it!"_

_Arlong snorted and his voice was filled with disdain as he replied, narrowing his eyes, "Oh, really?" an idea popped up in his mind, "How about you show me then? One of my dolls got pregnant," he cursed in his breath something like that whore, "Perform an abortion on her. We'll see if you're not lying; if she dies because of you being a bad doctor...I'll beat you to death. If she doesn't, you'll work here for me. For free."_

_The ginger quickly got up and placed herself between them before Chopper could respond, "Master! Please, reconsider...! You're right, he doesn't belong here, how about I drop him somewhere in a village?"_

_But she was ignored._

_His blue eyes showing determination, almost defiance, yet true gratitude as he looked at Hana for a second, Chopper answered solemnly, "I accept. I'll show you I've got what it takes to stay here."_

_He actually did it, and in spite of his young age, he became an excellent doctor. The flowers of Yoshiwara got along with him quite well, for many of them dreamed of becoming mothers...Which was strictly forbidden here._

_Hana often told him that leaving this place and living a peaceful life elsewhere was the best for him, she even became harsher around him as if she wanted to force him to leave...But whether she pushed or pulled he wouldn't be swayed; his decision was made._

_He wanted to stay by her side._

_...No. As he spent more time with her, got to know her (a little), he began to want something else..._

* * *

"Hana," He called out, his eyes squinting from the pain, "Stop here..." he begged, his jaw clenching.

She raised an eyebrow, but never stopped, "What...?"

"Stop here! Let's land! _Now!_" He shrieked, causing him to splutter some blood.

The shinobi didn't really get it, but obeyed as she sensed the panic in his voice, sending her an unsettling feeling in her stomach. Her brows knitting together, she accepted reluctantly; they landed on the ground, next to a sakura tree, him still on his fluffy stretcher.

She opened her mouth to say something, however he was faster than her and spoke up as clearly as possible, having a hard time doing so, because he felt his life gradually being drained, "I can feel it...The curse...I'm dying," he began.

"Don't speak nonsense! Let's hurry and go back to Raftel–"

"I'm dying! Don't deny it!" He cut her off, frowning gravely, his vision was blurry now, "Hana...I'm dying..." he paused for awhile as he closed his eyes. Inhaling deeply, he said softly;

"You know it too...And you know what to do."

She knew what he meant, and the fearless murderer was frightened... "No!" She yelled, her view blocked by the tears, "No, Chopper."

He bared his fangs, although he wanted to grin, "I'm going to die...But the curse is trying to take over me...Hana," he coughed several times, his eyes turning red, "I want to die as a human being! _Please! Help me!"_

Her eyes widened as her lips parted in horror, "No..."

"_I BEG YOU!_" He hissed insistently at the top on his lungs._"KILL ME BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!"_

She took a step back reflexively. She had done it countless times, she had murdered lots of people mercilessly without batting an eye...Then, why when he asked her to do it, she couldn't? Why did she feel her heart hurt like this...? What was this feeling? She stared at him intently. He was suffering and fighting his inner yōkai, his body was starting to transform...

"Is this what you truly want...?" She sobbed. "You could live if you unleashed your yōkai."

He smiled brightly as an ocean of tears welled up in his eyes, "Yes...And no, it wouldn't be me."

"Please, end this."

Her body slightly trembled as she went closer and since she had dropped her chain-sickle, she had to use her powers on him. On the last person on Earth she wanted to harm. She lifted up her hand...

"Wait, check my kimono first..." She hated the fatigue prominent in the tone of his voice. Executing, she blinked when she found a big purse, totally full.

"...I'm sorry...I wanted to buy your freedom..." He wailed, "I won't be able to..." he had saved some money, the other brothels had payed him for his services...

_'I won't be able to save you...But I hope that somebody else will do it. From the bottom of my heart.'_

_'Freedom...? What's it?'_ She sucked in her breath as she saw him beginning to have violent spams, she just knew...She had to do it, and for the first time, the ice around her heart chipped away, she felt genuine pain. Rising her hand again, she stopped mid-way when he opened his eyes to lock them with hers;

He murmured gently, "Thanks and sayonara...My friend." there was something strange though, as he looked at her, he almost saw another person; as if the Hana everyone knew was a façade. As if...There was someone else behind it. Who was Hana, in reality? That, he would never know.

He wasn't sad to die, but he was sad to leave her.

The orange-haired hesitated, but still did it...She fried his brain with a ball of lightning, not without feeling an intense heartache as she cried until she had no tears to shed anymore. Her unique 'friend' had been too tender-hearted to survive in this wild world, too gentle to hurt a fly...As a matter of fact, it was the best for him, he went somewhere up above, to a place where he'd be happy. Her heart was engulfed by so many emotions she didn't know, or understand...

Though she admitted; it was fucking painful. She had saved him back to his village, only to get him killed because of her. Was she grieving? Was she sad? Why was she crying...?

She stayed here for a very long time, motionless. And then she dug the ground frantically as she bit sorely her lips, attempting to not let out sounds of anguish as she prepared for him a proper grave place.

She should have known that getting attached to somebody, having feelings was something forbidden in her world, because it would make it shatter...Never again. She would stay lonesome forever. She'd rather live her days feeling absolutely nothing...She wouldn't give a damn about anything around her.

Her eyes turned redder...Permanently.

* * *

_*Flashback, twelve years ago...*_

_She stared at him in wonder as she let her half-eaten orange fall on the grass._

_His hat had been pushed onto his back, he had numerous big fuming lumps on his head, some bruises on his puffed out cheeks and tears escaping the corners of his glossy eyes. Not only that, but he looked pretty pissed too as he sat down next to her wordlessly and hugged his knees, his head resting on them, sulking like he never did._

"_What's wrong...?" Questioned softly Nami, placing a hand on his shoulder._

_Slightly lifting up his head so she could meet his teary eyes, Luffy grumbled, "Jii-chan scolded me today..." _

"_What did he say?" Her voice sounded like a gentle tune to him, encouraging him to tell her everything, and he would, like always._

_Averting his gaze, he responded bitterly, "He said I wasn't taking my training seriously...And he hit me for that," he sniffled, "It's not my fault if I'm not as good as Ace with swords or as smart as Sabo," he muttered sadly. "Maybe I'm not like them, I'm not meant to become a great and strong samurai..."_

_She bonked his skull without mercy._

"_Oi! Nami! What was that for?!" He snarled, rubbing his newly hurt area._

_Suddenly cupping his cheeks, she glared intently at him, "It's not like you to mope around like this and say stupid things–No wait, you always say stupid things, but today it's another level of stupidity."_

_He huffed in irritation as his brows furrowed, "What?!"_

"_Don't underestimate yourself! To me you're already my samurai!" She blurted out, then freezing on the spot she quickly removed her hands and a blush formed on her face as she looked away, "I mean, no, you're not mine, but you're already a true samurai," she rambled, feeling herself getting nervous and awkward, "You might not have Ace's swordsmanship skills or Sabo's brain, but you've got the heart of a samurai. Remember the day we became best friends?"_

_The straw-hatted nodded, a little confused and feeling his own face warming up, her samurai? He liked how it sounded..._

"_You fought for me with all you had, that's your strength Luffy. Your strength comes from your will to protect the ones you care for...You're as great as your brothers and you have no cause to be envious to them." She gave him a heart-warming grin, her trademark one that shone like a pretty glittering orange flower (=a sunflower, the flower always facing the sun as it bloomed, which meant in the hanakotoba/language of flowers: sign of loyalty, ardent love and attachment)_

_His heart melted as she added, "I'm sure later in the future you'll be one of the most respectable samurais that this world has ever known, and if one day I need you, you'll be there for me and protect me, I believe in you."_

_Her words were spoken with such honesty that it nearly took him off guards and he felt his belly flutter as his heartbeat became erratic. He blinked away the tears and was going to say something but he got interrupted, for she threw one of her precious oranges right at his face, "Eat it, like that your mouth will be full and you'll stop saying dumb things."_

_He grinned wholeheartedly as he took off his most prized possession to place it on her head, "Thanks for cheering me up Nami!"_

_After that, they chatted happily until the sun set down. As they talked, she slowly dozed off and she leaned her head on his shoulder, a soft smile adorning her features. He watched her sleepy face and blushed slightly when he spotted their intertwined hands (she had taken his absentmindedly in her sleep). Joining her in the nap time, he couldn't help grinning sheepishly, thinking;_

_'I wish we would always stay together like that, forever and ever...'_

* * *

His onyx eyes fluttered open as he felt the summer breeze caressing his skin and his heart weighing down in his chest. The tender grin that had formed on his lips during his little rest turned into a sorrowful expression; he had often dreamed of her, of happy and sunny memories, of his innocent days with her during his childhood...He rubbed his eyes, pondering bitterly if everything had to change.

Oh, how Luffy wished to reach Nami now.

His mind was set on one thing; saving her, sweeping her off her feet and taking her with him elsewhere far from the hell she was living in to the place she truly belonged, his side...But he knew that her smile would be broken, and it scared him deep inside because even if he was optimistic, he wasn't a retard, this was obvious. Though no matter how broken Nami would be, like a mirror he'd pick up all the missing pieces, patch up everything with great care...He'd save her, definitely.

"...So what's the plan for rescuing Nami?" He heard Usopp's voice sounding a bit worried.

"Ask the shitty leader," Said Sanji, taking a long drag of his kiseru, "Look, he's woken up."

The long nosed turned to said person who sat up in the wagon, yawning and watching the sun rising in the cloudless sky, "A plan?" He repeated, yawning again, "We don't need that."

Usopp paled a bit, "What? Of course we need one..."

"Nah, we just barge inside Raftel, take Nami with us and if we meet any enemies we kick their asses." responded simply the raven-haired boy. "Ah, and Arlong's gonna bite the dust."

"I agree with him," Added Sanji, smiling, "We also should free all the women of Yoshiwara, that'd be one hell of a coup d'état!"

"Well then, that's settled. We beat the shit out of everyone on our way." Mumbled Zoro who had apparently feigned to sleep with his eyes closed, "I slice the first son of a bitch I see, and if I see another, I slice him too."

"Are you guys suicidal?!" Shrieked the archer of the group, wondering if he had just met the three most idiotic samurais ever. Yes, between flight and fight he had chosen to fight, but he wasn't ready to die yet, "We _truly_ need a plan! Raftel is a dangerous place! It's like the womb of the monster!"

"Shishishi, your face's all white Usopp," Laughed Luffy, "But you know there's this motto in the Bushidō (=the way of the warrior or military scholar road; the code of moral principles that samurais were required to follow) that says 'YOLO', so YOLO it'll be!"

Usopp slapped the air as he barked, "You totally made that up! YOLO my ass!"

"Che, chill out Usopp..." Grumbled Zoro. "And Luffy, 'YOLO' is for dumbasses, it's better to say 'Carpe Diem'..."

"That's all the same," Pouted latter person, "Action is better than reflexion!"

Their new nakama frowned deeply (and optionally cried inwardly), these three were a monster trio...

* * *

_**Several hours later, Raftel castle...**_

A bottle of sake secured in her hand, Nami made her way to the royal blacksmith. As she approached, she saw a very bulky man with blue hair covered with soot marks, his old kimono was loosely worn, revealing a chiseled strong chest. The noises of metals tinkling against each other could be heard; she found him forging a katana's blade with his huge hammer, the furnace of stones and bricks heated the entire room.

"Hello Franky," She said casually with her usual cold expression, "I've come to ask you a favor."

The man reposed his tool and craned his neck to look at her, blinked as he saw the bottle of alcohol and his mouth formed a grin, "Yo nee-san! You never forget to bring me some sake," he noted jovially, "How can I help you?"

Handing it to him, she answered plainly, "I need a sword, a good katana with a sharp blade."

He frowned slightly, "What happened to your chain-sickle?"

"Lost it somewhere." She shrugged, "But whatever. I need you to make me a great katana, perfect to kill."

The blue-haired's frown deepened, how could she say that with a poker face? Being a blacksmith had been his passion since he was young, making the finest swords of Japan should have made him happy...But he wasn't..."Ah man, why do you like killing so much? Do you really think you're serving justice?"

She gazed at him straight in the eyes, hers narrowing until they were similar to a vixen's, "Justice is always on the side of victors. Kill or be killed, that's how the world works. I wish all those fuckers (=the revolutionaries) would just die."

Franky sighed as he searched through his workshop and found a black and silver katana. Grabbing it, he showed it to her with a resigned face, "Here," He said, "This one's the last I finished, you'll never find a blade sharper than this one."

"Thanks." She replied, taking it as she smirked evilly. Now, she'd enjoy killing these parasites, they all should be eradicated. She'd exterminate absolutely all of them while laughing. She thanked the blacksmith again and bowing gracefully, she left.

Once she was out of sight, Franky's features saddened as he opened the bottle and drank it greedily. "I hate this...I wanted to forge weapons in order to protect people, not to kill them..."

* * *

_**Meanwhile, in a clearing...**_

Gathered around a bon fire, Usopp grabbed a piece of roasted meat prepared by Sanji who had explained to him that unlike the two others, he hadn't been trained to become a samurai since he was young, in truth; before joining Luffy, he used to be a cook. As for Zoro, his almost anti-social behavior came from the fact he had been a rōnin. He had had a companion of voyage named Mihawk, (who had been like a master to him) but unfortunately, he had died.

Currently, the long-nosed was quite happy, for they had surprisingly stopped somewhere to eat something warm. "You know, I thought all the yōkais had disappeared with Gol D. Roger and the Hyakki Yakō (=Night parade of one hundred kinds of yōkais)...But yokaikos are half yōkais, right?" He began, wanting to know more about Luffy, who was somehow mysterious, not really talking about himself.

"Such a great name for a war," Commented in his breath Zoro, "I would have enjoyed being one of the heroes who fought demons. It must have been a cool challenge."

"You would have died, yeah," Scoffed Sanji, "You shitty nori(=seaweed)."

"Nah, we're not really half yōkai," Said Luffy, chewing his meat tranquilly, "Depends on how strong our soul is, some can almost be real demons, others' human side can be stronger."

"Tell me more about the curse...?" Demanded Usopp, very interested.

The red samurai put down his food and continued, "I think that's how the yōkais came back, under the form of yokaikos. The curse can be completed rapidly or slowly... I can turn into a half yōkai and half human man, like a hybrid... You didn't see it, but I can transform into my yōkai's true form too. However, when I do that, it's way harder to control him, I don't do it often." he said that nonchalantly, as if he wasn't really afraid, he dug his pinkie into his ear, searching for earwax," I'm weak against religious stuff, I can't enter shrines or temples..." he paused, trying to recall all the facts about the curse, but Usopp said with a nearly disappointed look;

"So you've got super powers but for example if you face monks or exorcists, you're doomed."

Luffy's brows furrowed as he pursed his lips, "Yeah, that's pretty much it...Ah, but the worst's holy water, it's my worst weakness..." He grumbled.

"What? What happens with it?" Asked the archer, feeling anxious due to his leader's face darkening.

"It's better if you don't know."

"And how do you become a yokaiko?" He was curious, he couldn't help it.

The cursed one looked away, his eyes slowly filling with shadows,"You might become one if you've got an evil personality, or underwent a big trauma, in both cases, your soul gotta be tainted."

"How did you become one?" Insisted Usopp, although it was obvious he didn't unlock the curse because of his personality.

The straw hat bearer didn't reply.

"Leave it at that, he won't tell," Interjected Sanji who had been bickering with Zoro in the background, "He never told us."

"A-Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't want to offend you or anything..."

"Don't worry, it didn't offend me, shishishi!" Chuckled Luffy as he got up, dusted himself and left, saying, "Etto...I can hear the sounds of waterfalls, I'm gonna take a bath!" Uneasiness leaked into his words.

His comrades didn't say anything and Usopp lowered his head, feeling guilty.

* * *

**Raftel, public square...**

"Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!" Chanted the crowd of wealthy people, giving scornful looks and throwing rotten fruits at the attached man called Gin (a yokaiko), beaten almost to death, crucified and bleeding. He was a soldier of the royal army (or imperial guard) but his superiors found out he was helping the revolutionaries in secret. Unforgivable.

Sitting on a majestic royal chair, the Shogun smirked and gestured a hand, meaning that the torture would begin. Two of his lackeys held two barrels filled with holy water. He lowered his hand, sealing Gin's fate.

Turning the barrels upside down above him, the citizens watched his body melting, the liquid penetrating his skin and burning everything like acid. The poor man was begging for mercy but they kept versing the water, almost like a shower. Soon, he couldn't even talk anymore and long screams similar to a dying animal's resounded all over the public square. His guts spread out of his belly and his bones could be seen as he lost a great amount of black blood.

In the end, what was left of him was only a small pile of organs.

The crowd cheered, very amused by this cruel entertainment.

Nami remained unaffected and returned to Arlong Park. Without Chopper, the place seemed even more desolate, but she had no time to mourn or grieve. Some of the flowers here asked her where he was and she replied bluntly, "He's dead." making their hatred toward her increase.

After having been dressed up in a magnificent Oiran attire, her master called her to his quarters. Apparently, he was bored and needed some fun.

As she knelt down in front of him, he said disdainfully, "Hana, it won't suck itself."

She put on a fake smile and undressed him. It was time to use her mouth, but she was okay with it, she was used to it since she was twelve, after all, a prostitute's job began at the onset of puberty. This didn't bother her anymore, and without feeling a thing, she sucked his cobra and drank his venom.

It had always seemed that it was raining heavily in her heart, and she hadn't known anything else, dolls weren't supposed to have emotions. She was an indigo flower, a hydrangea. (in the hanakotoba it meant femininity, cruelty and indifference)

She couldn't even rest, for the Shogun sent a messenger to get her.

"After meeting the Shogun, you'll come back here and rehearse for the Oiran parade, it's only in a few days." Said sternly Arlong.

* * *

_**Raftel castle, inside the Shogun's harem...**_

The Shogun himself took her in private in his harem. After performing her initial job with him in front of the other women here, (none of them cared about them) he told her that the leader of the Oniwabanshū died during a mission and thus, because she was one of the best element here, she became the next one. (She actually didn't give a rat's ass about her co-workers) He kicked her because she had ditched her mission though, but she was forgiven since she had neutralized many rebels.

"You see Hana Tachibana, there are three kinds of dogs in this world," He told her with a sly smirk, "The well-appointed ones with pedigrees, living luxury lives," he meant the Raftel citizens, "The rabid ones living in the dirt that should be killed," an image of the terrorists and poor people flashing by almost made him laugh and then his smirk grew wider as he locked his eyes with hers, "And finally, dogs like you. Those trained since they were puppies to become dangerous hounds."

"I'm, of course, the master of all these animals." He added as he clapped his hands together, calling a servant to bring him some sake. "You're a great hound Hana Tachibana, you're dismissed."

"Thank you, your majesty." She said, bowing with grace.

A few minutes after she returned to her own birdcage, the puppets gathered around their master. "Did you find Ace? Any news about the One Piece?" Questioned Marshall D. Teach as he ran his fingers through one of his women's hair.

"Not yet, your majesty..." They replied, lowering their heads.

"You better hurry up, I need both of them to start _it._" He growled. Like in a chess game, both sides had their kings. The queens, rooks, bishops, knights and pawns were protecting them with all their might, but if one of the kings fell, it was checkmate and the game was won.

But once Ace's head would fall, another game would start...

* * *

_**Simultaneously, with Luffy's group...**_

Luffy was meditating half naked, his eyes shut and sitting with his legs crossed. The gushing waters of the cascade he had found flew down on his head and back, and while it was pretty cold, he didn't mind, for he used to do it a lot with Rayleigh-ossan. This was one of his tricks to calm down, yet it wasn't working right now, his body trembled slightly in suppressed anger.

Firstly, his yōkai was fairly annoying. If he listened to him (or his heart), he would ditch his nakamas and dash to save Nami, charging ahead. He had become a yokaiko a long time ago, he kinda knew how to fight against him by now...But secondly, each time he closed his eyes, he saw Nami.

Nami...She was his first friend (the first person who had actually complied when he had said to not call him Luffy-dono...His current nakamas were different, they saw in him a leader, but Nami liked him for whom he truly was. Just Luffy. Ah, statuses were of secondary importance...), his best friend, Ace and Sabo had said she was his hatsukoi too (=first love) and Usopp explained to him that since they had promised to marry (a betrothal, he said) she also was his fiancée.

She was many things...

_'Mukashi o ima ni nasuyoshimo, ga na?' (= It's time to stop living in the past, isn't it?)_ Some would say, and normally he would have agreed, but he couldn't let go of his precious memories by her side, he often wished he could go back in time when everything was peaceful...

Her smile was like the sunrise, illuminating his heart. Perhaps she was imprisoned in the world of the night, but he'd bring back the sun to her...He had trained all those years and turned out to be one of the best samurai revolutionaries; he was worth to be her samurai.

They would reach Raftel soon, in a few days for sure, and he'd rescue her. He regretted one thing though and it hurt him past belief;

_'I'm so sorry for being late Nami...'_

* * *

**First; I'm so sorry for the lateness guys xD! I've got some serious health issues (lol and I'm writing about an incurable disease in MC...) and my laptop crashed down. I lost many files, including my stories' plot. (meaning the summaries of my chapters, because since the prologue of a story, the end's planned, the numbers of the chapters as well: everything is planned, no filler) I was like "My plots vanished, I'm so screwed...WAHHH!"**

So I didn't give up on any of my stories, but I was like "What do I do now?!" I rewrote everything, my other stories will be updated soon :)

**Second; Yes, Chopper's yōkai was a tanuki, I couldn't see another except this one x)...And he died...You might think it's because I'm evil, and I am, but it's also because among the mugis, he's the only one I can't see kill/butcher people (his flashback was hard to write)...Dying was salvation for him...**

**And my dark stories are pretty hardcore, you should know it by now...x)**

**'Mukashi o ima nasuyoshimo ga na'** is a music from the movie Pom Poko. A beautiful piece...I like placing Japanese sentences, like that I can imagine Luffy's seiyuu saying it xD

**And third; like in MC you waited for it since the beginning right? The long awaited reunion...;)! There's a mugi who will enter too, guess who?...:D**


	7. Chapter 6: Unsuccessful Deus Ex Machina

**Note: Warning /!\ Hardcore very gory** **chapter! **But you waited for the LuNa reunion since the beginning, don't deny it! Oh, and this story is less dark than Marine chronometer so don't worry! xD

And that's how the **Yoshiwara arc** begins! (I promise I didn't know there was one in Gintama when I started writing this story x)

**I also promise that there won't be a lot of chapters like that...It's just, one the characters deserved it. It's called karma...X) The cuteness WILL come back, and the ending WILL please you, I'm sure :)**

"_So what if you can see the darkest side of me?_

_No one will ever change this animal I have become,_

_help me believe it's not the real me,_

_someone help me tame this animal..." (Animal I have become – Three days grace)_

_Chapter 6: Unsuccessful Deus Ex Machina_

Smoking his long golden and black kiseru, the tall bulky man named Arlong was sitting relaxingly on a cushion and enjoying the spectacle unfolding before his eyes full of admiration (and lust); his most prized possession and best accomplishment was rehearsing for the Oiran dance which would take place in a few days, just after her parade in Yoshiwara. To maintain the glory of the red-light district, numerous events were organized during the year and the high-ranked courtesans' presence contributed to it a lot, their dignified auras radiated such elegance that the richest and most important men of Raftel were drawn to them, as if mesmerized.

Hana Tachibana was his pride. She was a professional in the art of pleasing men, a true leader flower; only a few men could afford her due to her extremely expensive fees she was making them pay, but it wouldn't stop middle-ranked ones from trying, they'd give all their money just to see her and have a conversation with her, meaning that she was worth gold.

This obedient doll had finished her formation (to become a sex slave) in a blink of an eye, which was normally very difficult because an Oiran had to be beautiful, but was also required to be educated in a number of skills, including calligraphy, flower arranging (=ikebana) and the tea ceremony. She had to be an expert in the Japanese traditional arts and even had to know how to play musical instruments...The clients wanted the courtesans to be gorgeous _and_ intelligent.

Never did he think she'd turn out to be a gifted lady like this the first time he met her, a wild seed blossomed gloriously in a world of sin and pleasure.

Her place in the Oniwabanshū made him even more proud of her; her double life which had begun due to her yōkai powers was really interesting for Arlong Park, he had no taxes to pay and the Shogun himself often rewarded him with presents and money. (He owned the best brothel of Yoshiwara) Hana only needed three hours of sleep per day, to sum it up; she was perfect.

He watched her dance intently, her steps were as light as a feather, her emotionless face had no flaws and she was moving the red fans held in her hands gracefully, following the tempo of the shamisens (Japanese plucked three-stringed instruments) played by skilled musicians.

She was truly the best doll a master could ask for. Snapping his fingers, a low-ranked prostitute came and served him some sake in a cup. After drinking it and enjoying the show, he clapped his hands together, interrupting Hana.

"Hana, come to my quarters with me." He ordered, a smug expression forming on his features. Owning the most desired woman of Yoshiwara was definitely arousing him. Doing the deed together, he smirked. She could be a female dog, doing everything he desired; with a cord or a rope she'd let him tie her up, he could punch her and she'd still lick his fist right after, she could be a kitten using her lips, legs and fingers to indulge him...(S&M games, reversed roles, etc, the courtesans did _everything_)

He had done a great job. His smirk grew wider as he caressed her back ornamented by a detailed and magnificent tattoo (Japanese tattooing was practiced by the ukiyo-e aka the floating world culture), covering almost entirely the soft surface of her skin as a reminder of her status of prostitute, of the fact she belonged to him.

She was the queen of Arlong Park, but when she was with him, she was only his quiet doll whom he loved to play with. He often called her his "lovely daughter" during their 'good' times together.

Because she was his favorite, he had let her choose her tattoo when she was twelve and she had wanted the design of sakura blossoms, hence splendid slightly reddish flowers adorned her back. Little did he know that she had picked this by instinct and not knowing why. (In the concept of Buddhist 'mono no aware', sakura blossoms meant the respect for existence, the sorrow for the passing away of belongings, the humanity for individual...It was also the flower symbolizing the samurais, their favorite one.)

* * *

_**Three days later...**_

The sky was dyed in dark shades of orange, purple and pink, the sun was gradually setting down in the horizon as stars began to appear, similar to small diamonds. The darkness of the night was slowly coming and there was no breeze, no clouds to perturb this serene scenery.

Except maybe the shrieks of terror resounding all around.

Usopp's grin automatically faded, he had found this spot and hoped to enjoy the view, without a hint of guiltiness that his nakamas were looking for water (the sake was_ only_ Zoro's property) and he was totally slacking off. Sitting cross-legged on the grass, on the edge of a hill, his eyes lowered towards the source of these scary sounds, and they went wide as his face blanched. Beneath him stood two groups of people, samurais (one of them was on the rocky ground, his head had exploded. Probably the reason why people screamed.) and shinobis. He deduced from their clothes that the samurais weren't working for the government, unlike the assassins clad in black.

One of the shinobi stood out, it was a woman with wavy _white_ hair. She had a long black scarf wrapped around her neck and covered everything but her almost close-set ruby eyes (while her comrades wore balaclavas), her uniform seemed more classy too. She had white fox ears and nine tails, a yokaiko. A silver and black katana was hooked on her side. He assumed, without doubts, she was their leader.

"You're making me repeat myself twice, assholes." She said calmly, taking a step forwards, "We know that you know where Portgas D. Ace is. Tell us. Now." She ordered, her voice as cold as ice.

The leader of the samurais also stepped up, his hair was long and dark brown, he had many tattoos on his face and on his chest which was exposed full view for he was only wearing the lower half of his brown kimono. A friend of his murmured, "Be careful Wiper, they're the Oniwabanshū..."

"You pathetic bitch," He seethed, he had a little kiseru nestled in his mouth. These sneaky onmitsus...Always messing with revolutionaries, doing dirty secret attacks to catch them off guards. "Even if we knew, we wouldn't tell you." and then he brought up his tanegashima defiantly. (=matchlock gun)

"Just how did you call Hana-ya...?" Interjected a shinobi, joining his leader as his black eyes seemed to darken even more, "Say that again and you'll see..." there was an underlying steel in his voice as he menaced him. 'Naraku no Hana (=Flower of hell)' was Hana's epithet, the woman who would _never_ let her preys escape, she was respected among her group.

She lifted an arm up to stop him, her co-worker and sort of acquaintance, from moving forwards, "It's okay Law," she assured, the glacial tone of her voice never changing. Now that she had reached the top of her profession's hierarchy, she could forget working on her own. _How great_, she thought sarcastically. "Let's see how many bastards we can kill today. Too many to count, I guess..."

Law's strength was equal to hers, but _she_ was the leader...And she had to demonstrate it. (This was a long mission, which was rare, and after finishing it, she'd go back to Arlong Park and would be offered a little 'vacation time') "Kill everybody, except the weakest one. He's gonna end up in Impel Down." She imposed her status as she unsheathed her katana.

Time stood still for a second, then blood flowed like a river just after, it just wouldn't stop. The revolutionaries and the Shogun had created killing machines, turning their children into murderers in order to perpetuate this war, using propaganda or other ways to brainwash them...This world was nothing but lies. Everything had been done to take their humanity away, especially when they entered 'battle' mode. They were cruel, merciless, almost soulless.

"It's the time of agonizing death." She sneered, not caring about their answers at all, as she suddenly dashed and slashed Wiper's stomach with a swift movement, showing no hesitation. His intestines spread out of his belly and he attempted to put them back in their initial place, spluttering some hemoglobin. He rose his tanegashima again and fired, but she used a samurai as a meat shield. A killer's life for everybody, butchering fools for free! Retaliating, she threw the dead samurai she held by the collar to the ground and sliced Wiper in two.

"Who's the bitch now?" She chuckled softly, watching him fall, lifeless as a gush of blood splashed over her face.

This horrifying action rang the alarm bell in Usopp's mind. Gawking, he stepped backwards silently, he returned in a hurry to his nakamas and grabbed his yumi, they had to help them...! But when they all arrived, a shiver ran down their spines, for a cold atmosphere was reigning and everything was quiet, the Oniwabanshū had finished them off already; a real slaughter. They were dragging the last survivor with them, leaving a crimson red path behind them as they walked away with him. What struck Luffy the most was the malevolent aura behind this nogitsune leading her comrades fifty meters further ahead, he could feel it with his mantra...

"These trained dogs," He muttered to himself with a scowl upon his face, "Always hunting down people..." unlike the normal revolutionaries, he didn't like or he dared to say, enjoy, killing. Yes, he was battle born; since he was five, he had learned martial arts and had followed a military training (he also had studied literature, arts and history, what a bore...) but much to his jii-chan's dismay, he had never listened to the adults saying that all the people working for the Shogun were bad or when they said that killing was the best choice. Sometimes he was forced to do it, but he certainly didn't appreciate it. He had his own conscience and way of thinking, like his nakamas.

He didn't fight to kill and ruling Japan didn't interest him at all. He fought to protect his nakamas and for freedom. He glanced at his friends and smiled a bit, for an utterly disgusted expression was shown on their faces. He understood the concept of survival, like all of them, but was cold-blooded torture the only answer...? Of course not, they weren't_ monsters._

As they buried the poor slaughtered samurais, his expression shifted to a pained one; one day, he'd be free. Free from responsibility, from all these atrocities, free to run around all day, to do it all his way (far away from Garp's wrath...Though right now he was breaking all his rules–in his opinion, rules were meant to be broken– and sure didn't follow his orders);

Free to be reunited with all his loved ones...

* * *

_**Somewhere, inside the secret castle of the Monkey D...**_

Monkey D. Garp, the master of the clan with the eponymous name, became tense as the letter slowly crumbled due to his pure irritation in his hands. Soon, his jaw clenched as a hard look formed on his features; he had just discovered _why _his grandson hadn't given news about his mission. He sought out a reason for his actions, which he found, Luffy was a goddamn idiot. The letter only said that his group had taken another mission, nothing else, but he went against his orders and apparently forgot that they were _wanted_, more dead than alive.

He slammed his strong fist on the low wooden table before him, knocking over his cup of sake which spilled on his gray and black kimono. He took a deep breath, but it didn't help to calm him down, "This brat's getting wildly out of wing!" He barked, tearing off the letter, anger visible in his eyes.

A first-class shinobi who had taken off his dark blue balaclava a little earlier, revealing a handsome face slightly damaged by a scar on his eye, with dirty blond hair restrained himself from chuckling, but inwardly he was grinning and laughing, though he was disappointed to not being able to meet him after all those years. This was just so Luffy-like.

"Why are you smiling Sabo?!" Hollered the man renowned for his fists of love.

* * *

_**Five days later, Raftel...**_

Sitting on a zabuton (=sitting futon) with her legs folded underneath her thighs and her knees together while her back was kept straight, typical seiza-style (=proper traditional formal way of sitting), Nami was performing a tea ceremony, also called the way of tea, in the patio of Arlong Park (in a karesansui, aka Japanese rock gardens with white sand) with her master, some courtesans and many clients.

Today was her day; the Oiran's beauty and elegance would outshine the other ladies of Yoshiwara. This was the first event, followed by the Oiran dance and finally later in the evening would begin the Oiran Dōchū (the Oiran parade) while the other flowers would be placed before their red birdcage (=harimise) like merchandises in display. (the Oiran was excluded from it) Only Hana Tachibana would shine today.

This kind of events required a lot of efforts from _everyone_; the musicians had repeated their music for weeks, the pleasure district had been embellished with decorations and lanterns, many people in Raftel had waited for this special day and a lot of citizens would attend it, even the Shinsengumi...The whole city was in a euphoria state, for they would party and have fun tonight.

The royal army and the Oniwabanshū were out on missions though, while the Shogun was paying a visit to Impel Down, the prison where people were tortured, located not that far away from the capital. He had given Nami a few days off, because even if she was an onmitsu, she also had to focus on her fine presence of Oiran.

"Golden peacocks, under blossoming cherry trees, but on all the wide sea, there is no boat." A courtesan beside her read a haiku (=Japanese short poem) with a soft voice. This one was untitled 'Yoshiwara lament' and told the story of a courtesan longing for her long lost lover during springtime.

The orange-haired beauty thought it was a stupid haiku. Like always, she faked a smile, an empty one.

* * *

Watched by the lustful looks of the numerous men, Nami danced delightfully, holding golden fans, guided by the music's tempo of the shamisens, the thirteen-stringed kotos (instrument similar to the Chinese zheng) and the traditional flutes, accompanied by two kōshis (the second highest rank of courtesans) clad in outlandish red and golden kimono, her hairdo and make-up were perfect too, her servants had exceeded themselves, although they had reserved the best for tonight.

Arlong was in a jubilation state. This former bandit who had started as a simple slave trafficker, abducting little girls for other brothels then starting his own, had become awfully rich and powerful, such a comfortable life, making out with sexy wenches, drinking, having his pockets always full of money was the best...He didn't even feel bad to have ditched all his nakamas for accomplishing his dream. All the men present here would have to queue up and pay _a lot_ for her services.

Nothing would trouble this day, or so he thought...

* * *

_**Nighttime, in front of Raftel's entrance...**_

The capital, no, the_ empire_ was surrounded by large fortifications, the defensive walls were too high to even think of trying to climb them up and separated the Shogun's world from the real one, an artificial lake encircled Raftel, kind of imitating the Forbidden City in China. To reach the impressive and majestic entrance protected by guards, people had to cross a bridge made of stones. The night was beautiful, the full moon lit up the sky, like a light of hope in the darkness, and the wind blew gently. Even from here, musics and songs played jovially could be heard.

The red samurai's group and himself included, let out sighs of relief–Finally. Luffy had been running out of patience, their little journey had been longer than he thought it'd be. Good for them, they hadn't met any soldier from the royal army or the Oniwabanshū.

Nonetheless, no thanks to Luffy, they had lost their map when he had spilled meat sauce on it, and no thanks to Zoro, the ex-rōnin, the samurai who had traveled all Japan, who had assured that he knew the way to Raftel and who had barked at his nakamas that it was true seeing their bewilderment, they had gotten lost...It was expected. Usopp had whined a little all the way here, for he had wanted _a plan. _As for Sanji, the moment they had stopped by a little village, he had flirted with all the ladies_ for hours_.

But they had made it, they were here, Nami was behind these walls...The straw-hatted smiled softly, although had another thing in mind too; Usopp had told what he had witnessed with the Oniwabanshū, and they had mentioned Ace. Portgas D. Ace...(He had never known his complete name until now...But somehow, he recalled to have heard it before once) if first-class assassins such as the onmitsus were pursuing him, it meant that he was one of the most wanted man ever (he also was one)...He shook his head as if he was shaking off his thoughts, Nami was the priority right now.

And so they were standing here, at the _front_ entrance, the upgraded Merry Go had been left in a clearing. (Zoro had insisted to replace the oxes by horses, since it had bugged him a lot.)

Luffy cracked his knuckles and massaged the back of his neck, then he released a strong wave of mantra before the guards could notice them (his aura condensed greatly and he could use it to take down foes), all of them fell motionless on the ground, causing Usopp to gasp. "What did you do...?" He asked, totally shocked. Well...That was _easy._

He replied nonchalantly. "I put them to sleep for awhile." The leader was deadly serious about this mission, he didn't care about danger, for he would always do what he thought was the right thing to do, regardless of rules or consequences. Nami's smile was worth fighting for.

* * *

Luffy leaned against a wooden wall in a dark alley leading to Yoshiwara, "Here's my commands," the low tone of his voice made Usopp blink, his legs shaking due to the fact they were in a very dangerous place...A suicidal mission indeed...The super awesome archer was _a little_ (sweet euphemism) scared.

"I have no plan, however I ask you one thing; destroy everything in Yoshiwara." His words were set in stone and his attitude had drastically changed; his gaze was hot and intense, his muscles tensed and his trademark goofy grin had vanished. The archer almost thought it was somebody else, for when they had fought Kuro, he hadn't looked _that_ serious...

The green-haired man clutched the tip of Wadō Ichimonji as a sly smirk curved his mouth upwards, Sanji mimicking his expression as he took a puff of his kiseru. This would be one heck of a challenge, just thinking about it made their blood boil.

Pressing down his hat onto his head, he continued, "This place must go down, all the prisoners here must be freed from this nightmare." he balled his fists, ready for action, "Break everything, make a commotion, this place shouldn't even exist. I'll go on my own to save Nami. They seem to party hard, let's take advantage of that. We'll meet up at dawn, at the entrance."

His decision was made, and his nakamas couldn't say anything against it. There was a raging fire within his onyx eyes.

* * *

"Is it okay to let him venture alone?" Questioned the archer, his body lightly shuddering as he watched the straw hat bearer leaving them. His heart was slowly dwelling in fear, while the two others only felt adrenalin rushing in their veins. "It's way too dangerous..."

His green-haired nakama glanced at him, finishing to put on his bandana. Studying his nearly terrorized expression, he _laughed_. "It was damn time you went outside your village! This guy has quite a reputation among samurais...He's known to have killed fifty soldiers of the royal army with his bare hands, when he was only eleven, he'll be alright."

Usopp gawked as his eyes went wide, "Is it true?!"

He replied, shrugging, "Dunno, he never confirmed it, but it wouldn't surprise me."

His gaze darting to the ground, Usopp's brows knitted together in a frown as he muttered, "But still, I'm worried..."

Releasing a sigh as he saw that he wouldn't chill out, the first mate of the group retorted, "You shouldn't doubt him. Y'know when we fought Kuro he was half-assed, his mind was set on one thing, saving Nami. He didn't use his entire strength back then." He smiled, "This guy's willpower is strong and unflinching, like a sword. He'd never admit defeat, he's got the capacity to lead a revolution... If we didn't trust him, we wouldn't be following him, right dartboard?"

"For once, you said something intelligent marimo." Loyalty and trust were the strongest traits of this small group. "Anyway, we should go for it too now."

In this moment, Usopp couldn't but feel an inferiority complex crawling inside him..."You guys are fearless...I envy you..."

Grunting, Sanji responded as he rolled his eye, he could really be a coward sometimes, "The shitty leader trusts us as much as we trust him. If he didn't think we have the strength to fight alongside him, he wouldn't believe in us and wouldn't have chosen us. He chose you, remember?"

Usopp's fears gradually disappeared as he grinned, "You're right!"

Then, they saw some men passing by with a wagon completely full of fireworks they would launch later. The same idea popped in their minds as they smirked devilishly.

* * *

Her most sumptuous and ornate costume (which was numerous layers of clothing and weighted thirty kilograms) was black and ornamented of pale pink, (her brocade obi neatly tied in front was of the same color) white and red sakura blossom patterns, her hairstyle was a beautiful chignon embellished by two golden combs, six golden hairpins in the front and six in the back as a sign of nobility, her heavy make up was covering her entire face with a pure white powder, (even the back of her neck, an erotic spot) her lips were painted in red and her eyes were garnished in a garnet color.

The Oiran was parading marvelously on her 15" tall lacquered three legs footwear (koma-geta), walking hachi moji-style (eight figure step) which was almost an accomplishment due to its difficulty, with a retinue of servants, one holding up a red umbrella above her as she had a hand clamped over his shoulder for stability.

Accompanying her, the music was loud, yet very dignified.

People stepped aside and stared in awe, her emotionless face made them blush heavily. Her line of sight didn't intersect with the red samurai's passing by, for he was too focused to find where the fuck Arlong was. They almost brushed past each other, until he glanced out of the corner of his eyes, from his angle he couldn't see her hair, hidden by the umbrella's brim...Just seeing her profile made him blush.

_'What a beautiful woman...' _He admitted silently, but continued his hurried walking.

* * *

On the rooftop on the highest building in Yoshiwara, the three samurais had still their smirks on as they placed the stolen fireworks to face the vast night sky. Using his kiseru, Sanji lit _all_ of them. As they burst in the sky, exploding loudly and forming colorful blooming flowers, people gathered around and looked up at them, including the Shinsengumi, alarmed because they should have been launched later, the schedule had been learned by heart.

"Hey you!" Yelled one of them, surely the commandant, judging from his neat uniform. It was a man with white hair and two kiserus in his mouth named Smoker and unlike his underlings who were kinda drunk and having fun, he was sober and serious,"What are you doing?! Who are you?! You're under arrest!"

"We're revolutionaries, and we're here to crash down your little party, catch us if you can!" Said the three in unison, showing their middle fingers defiantly before splitting up and running away.

The citizens shrieked in horror in the background.

A vein popped on his forehead as his face darkened, "WHAT?! HOW THE FUCK DID YOU ENTER HERE?!" he barked as he glanced at his co-workers, "LET'S CATCH THESE TERRORISTS! THEY'RE DEAD!" He turned into his yōkai form...Enenra, the monster of smoke.

* * *

Roronoa Zoro's feet were planted in the ground as he held two katanas in his hands, one his mouth with his fierce eye glaring intensely at some men of the Shinsengumi. He grinned widely, with Luffy they were always up to no good and he was a man of action.

"Just who the fuck are you?!" They shouted, bringing up their swords.

"I'm Roronoa Zoro and you should remember my name, bitches." He seethed as he launched himself towards them. He slashed many of them with a sharp circular movement and they were sent flying, as if blown by a tornado. "Taste my Wadō Ichimonji!"

* * *

With a powerful kick, Sanji broke the doors of a brothel open as he barged inside this enclosed space. Many courtesans went out of their harimise, alerted by the noise. They saw this blond man, his back was straight and a blazing fire seemed to surround him as the debris of wood fell around him.

The master's brothel arrived here, a seemingly pervy old man, for his half of his clothes were missing. Dashing towards him, he sent him flying as he kicked his stomach. Then, turning to the ladies, he smiled gently.

"My ladies, your prince's come to free you~!"

* * *

_Slightly _lacking of bravery as he was pursued by Smoker (the man who looked like a ghost in his yōkai form) and his lackeys, Usopp sprinted with a terrified look, why, out of the three, he was the one chased by this scary-looking man? Holding his yumi, he stopped, shot an arrow at a Shinsengumi man's throat, then he went back to the escape plan as he saw the commandant's furious eyes.

He turned to the left, to an alley. His eyes felt some tears of fear surfacing as he found himself cornered; from both sides, the police was waiting for him. They all ran towards him at the same time, and he couldn't think coherently anymore; he panicked.

But a cloud of snow appeared without warning, then turned to someone who fell off the sky, wearing a dark blue shinobi attire, including a balaclava. He could only see the spy's eyes, pretty brown ones with long eyelashes. The shinobi's curvy figure made it sure, it was a woman...And a yokaiko.

The brown orbs turned deep violet as she released an icy breath, freezing many men solid...She was a Yuki Onna (=snow woman). Seizing the opening, she and Usopp escaped together.

"Thanks for saving me," Breathed the archer, panting a bit from the run, giving a grateful look to his savior. "Etto...Who?"

"I'm...Nico Robin."

* * *

The sounds of explosions resounded all over Yoshiwara, same for the shrieks of terrorized citizens now running around while the Shinsengumi was trying to restore the calmness, failing miserably. Nami stopped her procession as shadows appeared in her eyes. _Just what was happening_, she thought as she quickly took off her koma-geta and ran to the gardens of Raftel Castle, leaving her servants here. As a onmitsu, it was also her duty to protect the capital. At all costs.

...And nobody dared to interrupt her march. Today too, she was going to kill some motherfuckers.

* * *

"Arlong Park," Read Luffy out loud, staring at the impressive building before him, a smile tugging his lips as he heard the ruckus that his nakamas were making. He thanked mentally the ossan who had indicated him the way to follow, like Zoro, his sense of direction wasn't that great, and told him how Arlong looked. Using his mantra effortlessly, he blasted the door open, shattering it in thousand pieces. Like everyone, he was on a thrilling edge of destruction.

Entering the palace-like building, he took a deep breath, he was entering Nami's world, she was there, he'd see her...After so many years...Five centimeters per second. It was the speed at which a sakura blossom fell, they said. Like two sakura petals, they had been blown far away from each other, and with time, the distance had grown, but he could finally close it...They'd reunite. His heart was hammering his chest. Time, distance, none of that mattered, the seeds of his feelings for her (that he couldn't quite understand totally) had quietly sprouted during their separation, with her, they'd bloom.

More than often, after his harsh training, he had gazed heavenwards, pondering if his sky was connected with hers, and how nice it'd be to look at the same sky together. He was sure it'd be an awesome sight. Stepping inside and scrutinizing his surroundings, he discovered the interior of Nami's prison; he was in a huge red and black hall of which the thin walls were decorated with motifs of flowers and dragons. Although it was a lavish place, a prison was a prison. Some security guards hired by Arlong hurried here (prostitutes were forbidden to go out of their brothel, if they tried to escape, they were tracked down and killed), but Luffy sent them to sleep a little with his mantra.

Then, the fucker wearing a classy black kimono appeared, a pissed off expression stitched across his face, accompanied by two prostitutes, smoking his kiseru. (He didn't go to the Oiran Dōchū) Seeing his knocked out guards and what was left of his front door, he frowned severely and dismissed his dolls, moving his hand back and forth to tell them to leave, including the ones who had left their harimise to see the source of the commotion. They had to _work_. (To Luffy's surprise, he didn't spot any glimpse of orange)

"Who the fuck are you? I'm going to call the security police," Warned sternly Arlong. his eyes scanned him from head to toe, did this lanky brat really beat his guards? He mused in disbelief.

"They're already busy with my nakamas destroying Yoshiwara," Retorted Luffy, his voice constrained and hard, "And I'm the man who's gonna kick your ass, Monkey D. Luffy."

The prison's master snorted at his name, a revolutionary here? Wait, that's how Monkey D. Luffy looked, one of the most wanted men in Japan, and the rumored samurai who had killed many soldiers as a kid? (it hadn't been proved...) That didn't impress him much. And his friends would get caught then executed for sure. He didn't really care for the other brothels, as long as his wouldn't get destroyed..."What did I do to have the_ honor _to meet you, Monkey D. Luffy?" _'Kicking my ass, yeah right.'_ Obviously, his voice was dripping sarcasm as he locked his angry eyes with the ferocious orbs of the revolutionary.

Taking a step forward, the straw-hatted replied, his chest heaving due to his fury gradually rising, he had _exhausted_ his patience for this moment, "Twelve years ago, you abducted _her_ when she was just a little girl, you killed her mother, took _her_ away from her family," Arlong was taken aback by his hateful glare, "You took _her_ to this hell...But you know what? The bond between _her _and I _can't_ be broken, by _nobody_, and tonight, you'll pay for your crimes, tonight, I'll get Nami back."

The pimp with the saw-shaped nose blinked, Nami...He had heard this name before...He attempted to recall the events this brat was saying...Oh...Yes, _Nami _and Fushia village, remembering, he smirked evilly. "Ah, who would've thought that she knew a Monkey D." He sneered, his look turning somber, "You're a little late, boy...Your bond, as you said, has been broken for a long time already." seeing him trying to be her savior was funny as hell. After their little conversation, he'd kill him for the damages he caused, but first, he had to crush him.

Luffy stopped dead in tracks, why was he using the past tense...? "What do you mean...?"

"Nami...That little bitch had guts but her heart was weak, she ended up crying and begging me to kill her, saying she'd be free this way," His smirk stretched from ear to ear, "Since I'm a kind person, I fulfilled her wish, she died eight years ago. That's too bad, you came here for nothing, shashasha!" he guffawed sinisterly, watching intently Luffy's face.

These words penetrated Luffy's chest, and pierced his heart like a sharp, merciless blade. He almost lost his balance and nearly stumbled, but stepped backwards to not fall. He let his head hang down as his pupils shrank considerably, he was too flabbergasted to even say a word. Paling greatly, he covered his face with trembling hands, their quiver only worsened as the words rang in his mind over and over. Nami...She...Died...

Monkey D. Luffy was the man who would embrace what others feared, however...There was one thing he feared, the loss of someone precious to him...It crippled him, it petrified him. The air escaped his lungs as he began to inhale and exhale deeply, trying to calm himself down, but he was too much in shock. He felt his legs weakening as cold nostalgia shook his very core.

"_If one day I need you, you'll be there for me and protect me, I believe in you."_

There was no word to describe how he was feeling exactly; horror, sadness, guilt, his emotions formed a big mess. No, he hadn't been there for her, and he wouldn't be able to...

"_You're my best friend too!"_

He wasn't worth to be her best friend. His eyes crinkled in pain as tears welled up in them...His heartache kept getting stronger, same for the the knot in his throat that didn't allow him to say something.

"_It's a pinkie promise!"_

Nami was dead, she wouldn't laugh or smile anymore, he'd never see again because _no one_ had been there when she had needed help...Regrets were going to eat his soul as his hopes of a future together crumbled...His tears were silent, but streaming down.

Noticing the heavy droplets falling down on the tatami floor, Arlong laughed, more than amused by his reaction, "What? Crying over a little dead girl? Aww...You're pathetic...Just like Nami." This was so going to be easy to kill him.

Something snapped inside him; the fierce tiger, the animal...He dropped the notion of good or evil, he wiped it out of his mind. Mumbling a few words, he let out painful sobs as he felt his mask shattering, revealing his true persona; he'd anything for his nakamas' sake, and in this case, for revenge. Chagrin turned into madness.

"Hmm? You say something?" Asked the pimp, eying him condescendingly.

Luffy peered through the cracks of his fingers at him. Arlong felt a shudder crawl on his back as he saw two glowing red eyes filled with tears looking at him with so much hatred–the eyes of a true predator–that it gave him a bloodcurdling sensation. The tiger repeated what he had said, carefully pronouncing every word this time;

"I said, I'll torture you until you die."

Luffy let his arms hang by his sides as he gradually transformed before the stupefied eyes of Arlong, his head slightly titled sideways as a devilish big grin curved his lips upwards. His hair became white and black vertical stripes appeared on it, his canines grew longer, his body much more bigger as if his muscles inflated, his hands were clawed, the other characteristics of a tiger such as large ears (his hat fell onto his back) and long tail were also present. Around him, the black mist of the darkening was oozing, like a murderous aura.

A yokaiko...And a powerful one who seemed to have lost it...

Even if he was utterly shocked, Arlong had a trump card, Luffy wasn't the only one with a demon residing inside him...His skin turned inky black, his eyes changed to an emerald color, he grew a beard of a dragon as his features distorted until they were completely similar to an Oni's (=really ugly demon, but very strong), he was Samebito, the shark man.

Byakko was sneering creepily as he approached slowly, his shoulders shaking from suppressed laughter. Arlong dashed towards him as he extended his arm to deliver him a punch, but Luffy was faster and his hand caught his wrist; an iron grip that would _not_ let him go. Quickly using his other hand, the tiger sliced his lower arm which fell on the tatami floor as a flood of black fluid splashed on Luffy's face.

_'He murdered Nami...Torture him.'_

Arlong shrieked in pain and backed away, staring in terror at his maimed limb. "Arrgh!" He screeched, grinding his teeth and retaliating with his other fist, the punch reached Byakko this time who was sent flying, and crashed against the ceiling before falling hard on the floor. Spitting out some darkened blood, he got up as if he was unaffected and his grin only grew wider as black stripes took shape on his skin. His brows creasing as he gritted his sharpened teeth, the shark man launched himself on him again, thinking that the best solution was to never let him attack, Luffy was a serious opponent.

_'Be thirsty for blood.'_

He didn't even get the opportunity to blink that Luffy was suddenly behind him, his feral smirk showing all his fangs, he slashed with his claws his shoulder and tore off the fin of this little fish–his entire arm, causing another cascade of hemoglobin to flow. Arlong let out a cry of intense pain, the maimed man admitted bitterly that Luffy overpowered him. Licking his bloody hands, savoring the metallic taste, the felid was even more pleased and snickered softly, he _loved_ meat after all, but it sounded more like a roar.

The gentle, childish, immature Luffy had given in to his monstrous side. The hell Arlong had only imagined, he'd make him experience it.

_'He deserves to suffer.'_

He didn't give a fuck about Arlong's deafening screams as his knees gave up on him, he had no pity for him. He kicked his torso, making the fish fall backwards and then pressed his foot on his chest, looking down at him. "You'll beg me to kill you." The wild beast kept sneering, never giving him a rest...

The shark man trembled greatly as tears escaped his emerald eyes which squinted from the dolor. Such inhuman strength..."Why are you looking at me like that, huh?! You've never seen a monster?! You've never looked at yourself in the mirror?!" Spat out Luffy, stomping on his torso again and again. Struggling to breathe, Arlong didn't reply.

"I hate the way you look at me," Said harshly the tiger as he lifted up his foot and then grasped the shark man by the collar, his eyes pleaded for mercy. He gouged an eye out with a clawed hand and his prey wailed, but he wasn't finished yet, he was far from it. The bastard was still alive, half-dead, but he was breathing desperately.

"You won't need that anymore, shishishi," Laughed Luffy as he grasped through Arlong's kimono his filthy manhood and sliced it. The eunuch seemed to faint after all of this, but the torturer slapped his face, "Wake up! Wake up! The show isn't finished yet!" he growled. His red attire was now almost black, he was drenched in bad blood.

"Please...Kill...Me..." Begged Arlong, his body quivering. There, he lost his pride and he was frightened by Luffy.

"Shishishi," Sneered Byakko, the evil gleam in his ruby eyes never leaving him as he responded simply, yet cruelly, "_No._" then with a claw he opened his belly, very, very, slowly...Arlong hurt Nami. He made her cry, he killed her, three lives were shattered because of him, Bellemère's, Nojiko's and hers...Since he had kept that in mind, he had forgotten his moral values.

He chopped up his flesh, then he grabbed harshly Arlong's insides, making him shriek like he never did as he bit his lips too hard, seeing how badly they bled, how the heck wasn't he dead already? Luffy knew the answer...Yokaikos were a lot stronger and more resistant than simple humans sometimes, depending on their inner yōkais...

The agonizing pimp gawked as he saw Luffy getting off him, and then looking around, thinking of something. Arlong's little kingdom of suffering...He'd destroy it all. In the Edo period, the buildings were mainly built with wood and thin paper walls–like this one. His diabolic gaze scanned the place for awhile as his tiger's ears listened to the shark man's cries, then he rushed towards the red wooden columns, the building's structures, and delivered a whirlwind of punches to all of them, breaking them into pieces as he let himself rage on.

Arlong's single eye widened, what was he doing?! Since his body had been butchered, he couldn't move at all. He still tried to change into a full yōkai (even if it wouldn't make his missing limbs/organs return) but as he transformed, Byakko saw him and grasped a fallen joist then crushed his legs with it, he would watch it until the _end _without bitching. Witnessing his palace being destroyed before his own very eyes, Arlong cried, all his efforts put in it went to the drain...

He was a powerless, pathetic spectator. Arlong Park was breaking down, sounds of splattering wood, fluttering paper and precious things such as very expensive vases shattering were mixed with the tiger's laughter. The fish tried to scream at him, ordering him to stop this but only shallow whispers came out of his bleeding mouth.

Luffy didn't worry for the courtesans as the building finally collapsed, for he had seen them escape earlier in the background, giving him looks of terror _and_ gratefulness. Amidst the debris of what was once an impressive prison, the straw hat bearer stood still, a satisfied grin on, as he turned his head and saw his victim howling, for he had still transformed in a true demon. Luffy went hastily closer and with a tremendous force, he took the joist off his legs to impale his chest with it, and like this, Arlong's life ended.

Right after, Luffy's true conscience came back and he fell on his knees and he cried quietly, out of energy he turned back into his human form, no he actually wasn't crying for having tortured Arlong, even if it truly sickened him, he had no remorse–this bastard had deserved every second of suffering bestowed upon him–but because he wasn't satisfied of this ending, none of that had helped to bring Nami back. She'd never come back.

"Nami..." He whispered sadly.

Unknown to him...One of Arlong's ladies hadn't left. She had watched him doing this to her 'master'. He had tortured all his 'dolls' without mercy, so she wasn't sorry for him at all. But she felt sad for this man, Arlong had lied to him...She heard it when he said he had killed _her_, but technically she _was _alive. And her, Caimie, was the only girl apt to prove it, her lips had been sealed until now, but she was _free_ to voice out what she had witnessed that day. She was going to approach him, but someone else was faster.

She cringed.

Arlong's legacy, his daughter with whom he had had a twisted, sickening incestuous relationship walked over the ruins of Arlong Park. Luffy peeked over his shoulder, hearing some light steps, and his eyes widened to their fullest;

A woman wearing a simple white kimono went closer, it clung her delicate curves perfectly, her collar was lightly sliding down her shoulders, she was bare-footed too. Her long, wavy, orange hair was in a disarray due to the fact she had hurried to undo her hairstyle and hadn't bothered to put her uniform on, for she hadn't had the time to (she had just taken off the several layers of her Oiran attire). She still had her make up on and a memory of the princess-like person he'd seen earlier flashed by. Her burgundy (slightly reddish?) eyes were staring back at him.

Her features were more refined, her body had changed, but that shade of orange was still the same. He gawked, feeling his heart stop as he murmured her name through the tears.

However he didn't see the katana hidden behind her, she was quick to bring it up and unsheathe it.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED (sorry, I wanted to try this at least once aha)**

**About the sadistic OOC-ness...Please don't flame me for that XD! I know Luffy wouldn't do this in canon, same goes for Nami. There's this review in another story of mine, which was a nice one, but told me that a character was OOC when I hadn't explained why yet and had said that it didn't matter if it didn't make sense, for it was a fanfiction...It bothered me a bit...**

**In a AU story, characters are meant to be OOC because: first, they're not pirates and just this fact makes them OOC, second because their backgrounds and surroundings aren't the same...Your past experiences and the environment you're living in makes you what you are...It makes sense, if the characters are different, that's how psychology works xD If I write a canon story, I try to be as accurate as possible, but an AU is something different. :)**

Oh, and did you get my Lion King reference? :D (There's the 5 centimeters per second too)

Deus Ex Machina is the god supposed to always saves the day when the characters are in a desperate situation.

**And finally, thank you all for reading/reviewing/following, I never say it too much, thank you a lot! **

**Next time: Luffy versus Nami! For whom are you rooting for? :D**


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